Beginners guide for new traders

So you are new to trading? Well then you are lucky, here is a short and quick guide for you.
First off lets start with how to count metals (scrap, rec, ref), it's a bit tricky and the
logic in that is...well it is what it is.

Metals values:
1scrap = 0.11ref
1rec = 0.33ref = 3scrap
1ref = 3rec = 9scraps

Random metal values:
0.55ref = 1rec + 2scraps (5scraps)
0.88ref = 2rec + 2scraps (8scraps)
0.99ref = 1ref (9scraps)
As you can see there is no such thing as 0.99ref because 0.11ref is 1scrap and 9x1scrap = 1ref.


Well then, what is "dirty" and why is it called dirty and also what is for example a "craft hat"?
Some items can be used in crafting, the "dirty" items are also known as "non-craftable" which says
in itself that they can't be used in crafting. The items that are "dirty" has the text "( Not
Usable in Crafting )" and the "clean" items don't have any text what so ever.
Note that not all "clean" items are usable in crafting, for example the Gibus and Alien Swarm
hats are clean but they are not usable in crafting.

How do I know what items are worth?
There are many ways to pricecheck items, you can use web pages like backpack.tf or then you can
look for trades for the same items and see what kind of value other players put on it. If you
want to look for others who sell the same items as you then you can use outpost or tf2tp, note
that if you look for other trades with the same items then you should also read the offers that
the seller has got. But, you should not take over some one elses trade or comment that you can
sell the item for les or anything like that, that will result in a ban from the pages!
Also some servers has a pricecheck function like for example the Lethal-Zone trade servers has.
To check an items price on the server you just write: pc! *items name*
Example: pc! industrial festivizer
Important: If some one says that your items are worth less than what you think then check the
prices yourself!

How do I know if the one that I'm trading with isn't a scammer or a sharker...and also, what is a sharker?
You can always check if the account is marked as a scammer and if it is then I suggest that you
remove him instantly from your friendlist. If you trade much/often with scammers or trade for
stolen goods then you will also most probably be marked as a scammer. If some one is marked as a
scammer then it means that he/she is banned from trading web pages like for example outpost and
also from most trade servers. You can check if some one is marked as a scammer by searching for
for their account on steamrep as seen below.

Selling items for money, how does that really work?
Some sell and buy TF2 items (mostly keys, bills, buds and unusuals) for money. The most common
payment method in that kind of trades even tho there are many other payment methods as well.
Some use Bitcon, some use instant bank transfer (only if both traders live in the same country
and has the same bank) and some even use WebMoney. Some use different payment methods due to that
some services aren't maybe available in the country that he/she lives in. Personally I use PayPal
so that's the one I'll use as an example also.
Usually when people trade for money the one who pays with money "goes first" which means that the
money is to be sent first and after that the buyer gets the items. Some even use a middleman to
help out in the trade, that's also a good way to make sure that everything goes as it should.
If you want to use a middleman then you have to make sure that they middleman really is who he
says that he is and also make sure that he can be trusted (check the links for a trustable middleman).
Also mostly when moneytrades are done the one who sends the money has to add a message to
the money transfer. Personally I use ask for the message below and if you want you can just copy-
paste it and use it yourself as well.
"This payment is for virtual Team Fortress 2 items, I have received them, and I will not charge back or
dispute this payment."
This message makes it somewhat safer for the one who gets the money because if the money is taken
back (charge back) then it's going to be easier to sort things out with PayPal support. How ever if the
buyer does a charge back then that should be reported also to SteamRep (including screenshots of
PayPal history, trade history and preferably also from the chat).

Important: Money can't be sent from one account to an other accounts wallet also make sure to check
that there are no "spelling errors" in the reputation thread link that the other guy sends to you! Also make sure
that the one you are trading with really is who he claims to be and check SteamRep!

Important general notes and everything in "short":
- There is no such thing as free games and Valve/Steam never gives anything away for free! There are
several fake steam web pages out there that claim that you will get a free game if by selecting it from a
list and then logging in to steam. That doesn't work, it's a big fat scam, your account will get hacked if
you enter your details there! So in short don't click on any links that people send to you unless you really
know that it's safe!
Note that these kind of phishin links can also be sent by your friends, they can have fallen victim of a
phishing link or that they are being impersonated.

- If some one says something like "look what I have written about you on a forum" or "is it true?" or "look
what they say about you" and then adds a link, don't open it! -it's a phishing attempt which means that
they are looking to get your accounts details and then hijack it.
Sidenote: You can always copy-paste links in to google and see what it says about the pages also read
links that you get, as in read them letter-by-letter and check for "spelling errors" (common scam used with
sourceop rep threads).

- Always check the prices yourself, don't trust the other trades comments about the prices. There are many
sharkers out who try to get "expensive" stuff from you for a much lower price so that they can make an epic
profit on it.

- When doing bigger trades or money trades then make sure that the one you deal with isn't marked as
a scammer and also that he is who he claims to be. Impersonation is also a common scam out there
and that's why it's so important that you check everything before doing anything big.

- Don't trust the "spreadsheet" that everyone is talking about. The spreadsheets admin(s) is know to fix
the prices which basically means that the items that he is looking for he lowers the prices on and then when
he tires to sell them he puts a higher price on them (on the spreadsheet). Therefor backpack.tf is the way
to go, prices there are based on the prices that items actually sell for and anyone can vote for new prices.

- All crates have the same chance of giving an unusual, all crates have the same 1% chance!

- Don't randomly trade people on trade servers, most find that extremely annoying. Instead you should
clearly say what you are selling or buying and state your price as well. Don't say "selling metal", that's like
walking in to the store and say "selling money".

- Game activation codes are a "high-risk" thing to get in to, even tho it's basically like money trades, one
can never know if the code actually works. You have to be sure that the one who you are trading with really
is legit, has good rep and preferably also a rep thread. You can use a middleman for this kind of trades as
well but not all middlemen will accept steam code trades.



Useful links:
- SteamRep
- Middlemanlist on SteamRep
- Lethal-Zone Trade Forum
- How to spot a scammer (and use SteamRep)
- SourceOP Forum
- Backpack.tf
- Outpost
- TF2TP


P.S As always if there is something that I have missed or forgot then please leave a comment below and I'll fix it