Important Tools/resources for trading and/or reporting scammers

Since we noticed that a lot of (even experienced as far as in-game time is concerned) TF2 and/or steam users are struggling with reports and sufficient evidence in reports I tried to compile this list. Thanks to all those who proof-read it and helped out with additional input.


How do I check people I trade with?

If somebody trades you on a server you can click his avatar/name in the trade window and his profile will show up. You should enable Steam URLs in your Steam settings / Overlay / Show Steam URL

Using this URL you can either replace the steamcommunity.com with steamrep.com (if it is a common ID64 such as steamcommunity.com/profiles/12345678910) to find their steamrep profile or if it is a custom URL (e.g. steamcommunity.com/id/traderxyz) replace steamcommunity.com with backpack.tf to get links to this account's steamrep/outpost/... pages.

If you trade with a person in a group chat just open his profile clicking his name or avatar and procede as described above.

What can I do with the information I find on a trader's steamrep page?

Steam ID blocks look like this:

| steamname: [Cash.net] Chride2k8 |LZ|
| steam3ID: [U:1:7103459]
| steamID32: STEAM_0:1:3551729
| steamID64: http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561197967369187
| customURL: http://steamcommunity.com/id/chride2k8
| steamrep: http://steamrep.com/profiles/76561197967369187

Note that steam name and custom URL can be changed at any time by the user so it is important to get hold of the 3ID, ID32 and ID64 to be able to identify a person.

I have seen scammers using customURLs using a set of numbers as it would be used in a ID64 to try and obscure their account's identity. ID64s format is steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561197967369187, a custom ID made to look like it would be steamcommunity.com/id/76561197967369187

How do I take screenshots and what should be visible on them?

As the in-built screenshot system in TF2 does not take screenshots of trade windows you have to do that manually using the PrintScreen/PrntScrn or something equivalent in your language-key usually situated right hand side of the F12 key. Use a suitable program (Paint, IrfanView, … are free or you can of course use PhotoShop or Corel Draw if you happen to own them) to insert (usually Ctrl-V) the screenshot and save it as a .png file.

Best upload the screenshot/s to our forum directly or if you totally don't want that use a permanent image sharing site that allows you to use your native screen resolution for the pictures and make sure to not delete them. Images cropped to thumbnails are hardly useful.

All screenshots used as proof should be uncropped/unedited so the whole screen is visible. Should you take screenshots of your inventory history or similar things you can obscure the amount of money stored on your steam wallet and/or parts of your account name.

Screenshots of name histories of scammer account pages should include their Steam URL (see above how to enable it)

Screenshots of your paypal balance should always be taken from the PayPal history search page

How do I find my inventory history/trade offer history?

Open your Steam client, hover over your profile name and select „Inventory“. For your trade history click „more“ and select „Inventory history“. This will bring up all trades you have ever made. If the Steam item servers are down it can happen that the page temporarily does not show any items traded. Just try again when the item servers are back up.
For your trade offer history click „Trade offers“ on your inventory page.

How do I find the name history/known aliases of a steam account?

For a detailed list when and to what a user changed his name add /namehistory to the ID64, e.g. steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561197967369187/namehistory

How do I report users to Steam/Valve?

Click the "More..." button located on the upper right hand side of the user's steam profile. Select "Report violation". Check the box for the violation in question and add a description of the incident. When finished click "Submit report". In severe cases feel free to also file a support ticket regarding the user's actions.



Useful resources for trading and/or reporting scammers

http://www.steamrep.com – Volunteer anti-fraud database
Compiling reputation data, Steam ID blocks and useful research tools such as links to users' profiles on different trading sites

http://forums.steamrep.com/pages/faq/
http://forums.steamrep.com/threads/expanded-faq-recommended.7263/
FAQs about steamrep including useful guides to about everything you might want to know about trading on Steam

http://www.backpack.tf
Community trying to compile the most common prices for TF2 items, also handy to get a quick overview and links to a trader's accounts on various trading sites

http://support.steampowered.com
Steam support's homepage (you have to create an account there to be able to send a ticket. your steam account login does not work)

http://www.irfanview.net
Free picture viewer allowing you to save your screenshots in different formats


List of some popular trading-related sites:

Spoiler

Official TF2 wiki
wiki.teamfortress.com

Sites to check traders' reputation
steamrep.com
rep.tf
backpack.tf

Trading sites
dota2lounge.com
dotaoutpost.com
csgolounge.com
csgotraders.net
steamtrades.com
tf2outpost.com
tf2tp.com
tf2wh.com
bazaar.tf
sourceop.com
backpack.tf
tf2-trader.com
dispenser.tf
tf2r.com

Pricechecking sites
backpack.tf
tf2pricecheck.net

Backpack/inventory viewers
tf2b.com
tf2items.com
backpack.tf

Scrapbanking/Item banking sites
scrap.tf
scrapwh.com
scrapbank.me

Raffle/giveaway/... sites
steamgifts.com
tf2r.com

Sites selling items for real world money
tf2shop.net
marketplace.tf
tf2wh.com