Scammers Sell Access to Steam Accounts with All the Latest Games – It's a Trap!

Scammers are always looking for new ways to convince potential victims that what they're "selling" is the real deal, and gamers are often the primary target. One recent scam involves a fellow gamer's promise to share a Steam account, with lifetime access to all the latest titles for an extremely low price.

Gamers are more likely to be technologically adept than the average person. In theory, it would make them less prone to scams, but that's not always the case. Criminals simply adapt their pitch to the demographic, using lures designed to attract at least some gamers.

Ads on Facebook used to propagate the scam

Facebook has become the go-to platform for cybercriminals. In our latest research, Bitdefender found that social networks were used to persuade people to download and install malware via ads.

The same social network ads can target a variety of other types of users, including gamers. A Reddit user posted a screenshot of one of these ads that promised lifetime access to all the latest titles for only 200 pesos (around $3.50).

A sponsored Facebook ad from a page called Sioux Games has raised eyebrows in the local gaming community after offering "lifetime access" to popular Steam games for only ₱200 (around 3.50 USD).

The deal claims to grant players access to major titles like Final Fantasy XVI, Baldur's Gate 3, God of War: Ragnarok, and Elden Ring — not through cracked copies, but through shared Steam accounts.

While the post attempts to reassure buyers by stating, "Login before payment para assured kayo hindi scam" (log in before payment so you'll know it's not a scam), this technique is part of a well-known scam pattern that violates Steam's Terms of Service and results in buyers losing both money and access to the account.

Too good to be true? It usually Is

A look at Steam's Subscriber Agreement shows that sharing accounts is not allowed, let alone reselling them. The scammer also promises that the games are not pirated, which is odd. If they're present in the account, they can't be pirated. The only motive to include this mention of pirated games is to provide some sort of extra assurance.

In any case, distributing access to a shared Steam account for money directly breaches Valve's policy and can lead to account bans.

"You may not reveal, share or otherwise allow others to use your password or Account except as otherwise specifically authorized by Valve," states the Steam Subscriber Agreement.

Red flags all around

The ad should raise suspicions all around. First of all, the scammer encourages users to play in "offline mode" to avoid being logged out, which is another common trick in this scam format.

Scammers might grant temporary access and wait until enough people have paid, only to then either change the password or revoke access. They rinse and repeat until the automated Steam systems get the account banned due to suspicious activity or following user reports.

What happens if you fall for this scam?

Consider this common scenario:

Let's say someone decides to pay the small sum asked by the scammers after initially gaining access and playing for a few hours. Suddenly, the Steam account is locked, and the account password is changed. Attempts to contact the seller go unanswered, and the Facebook page itself vanishes.

The user can't talk with Valve, and the money is gone. Worse still, the account might be active for longer, or at least long enough for the user to become confident that nothing will happen. He actually buys new games on the same account.

Unfortunately, criminals sometimes buy these shady accounts using stolen credit cards. When Valve finds out, the access is quickly disabled, leaving the Steam account users unable to retrieve legitimate purchases.

Similar scams have appeared before

This tactic isn’t new. Other examples include:

·         "150 Netflix Premium Account Lifetime Access" scams on Facebook Marketplace that offer logins tied to family accounts that are later revoked.

·         A Telegram-based seller in 2023 offered "Steam Libraries with 300+ AAA titles" for $10. After payment, users were either blocked or given credentials that stopped working after 48 hours.

·         In 2022, a now-defunct Facebook group named "GameShare PH" promised lifetime access to FIFA 23 and NBA 2K titles, only to be exposed by users who collectively lost thousands of pesos.

These sellers often hide behind vague branding, low-resolution images, and paid ads. Once they get enough buyers, they disappear or change page names.

How to protect yourself

The best way to make sure that you don't become part of some criminal enterprise is to stick to authorized digital gaming stores. It's also a good idea to always report these ads when you see them, on Facebook or any other platforms.

Also, we always recommend using a security solution, such as Bitdefender Total Security, which offers the best anti-malware protection in the industry, as proven by the last 10 years of independent test scores.

One feature that makes this security solution perfect for gamers is its low system footprint, which won't impact the PC's performance. Another feature is found in its dedicated profiles for work and gaming, so you don't get bothered by notifications and other distractions when playing on your PC.