As the popularity of CS:GO continues to grow, so does the risk of encountering scammers when buying and selling skins. Since 2013, when skins were added to the game, there have been people constantly trying to get hold of them unfairly or steal them from other players. Given that skins can cost a lot of money, it is useful to know what types of scams users encounter most often and how to protect themselves from them.
Phishing
Phishing is one of the most frequent types of Internet fraud. You get a link in the mail or in chat where you supposedly can pick up free skins, participate in a giveaway, or get another prize. In some scenarios, the scammer may offer to vote and reward you with valuable skins. However, the data you enter on such a site will be compromised, and you may end up losing your account.
To protect yourself, always check the address of the site where you are going to log in with your Steam account, and even better – simply do not follow links received from unfamiliar sources.
Another type of online fraud functions in a similar way. To gain access to your account, an attacker may impersonate a Steam employee in correspondence to persuade you to log in to a third-party site or provide your SteamGuard code or profile information.
Remember that Steam representatives will never actually ask for your login details. If you have any doubts about whether a user is giving you accurate information, please contact Steam support directly before taking any action.
Cheatingduring the exchange
This type of cheating was especially common in the early years of the game. It became less common later on, largely due to Valve's security measures, but inexperienced players can still be affected by it. The scammer pretends to be a bona fide user who is interested in exchanging and offers you some valuable skin. However, when you send the exchange, it adds some other item at the last minute instead of the one you agreed on. In a hurry or due to ignorance, you may not notice it and end up giving away your item for a useless or cheap skin.
To avoid getting caught, always check the contents of the exchange carefully before confirming it. Regardless of what another user convinces you of, check the cost of the item and its popularity on Steam Trading Platform and other platforms, so that you don't end up with a cheap item being passed off as expensive.
API scam
In this case, the user also gets to a phishing site, but the attackers steal not his account data, but the Steam API key, which is used to conduct trades. Using the key, attackers can spoof trade offers you receive from other users. As a result, your items may be sent to the wrong person and you may receive nothing in return.
If you suspect that your API key may have been compromised in this way, delete it in your account settings and create a new trade link. You should also change your account password just in case.
Even if you don't have expensive skins on your account, it's always good to remember to take precautions so that you don't lose your carefully assembled collection of skins, or even your entire account with all the games attached to it. You should not fall for dubious offers. Better use the services of Lis-Skins.ru to buy any skins you like at very attractive prices.