Can you get banned for trading on Steam?
Yes, you can get banned for trading on Steam if you violate their terms of service, with trade bans being mainly associated with accounts that commit scams. The ban can be either temporary or permanent, depending on the severity of the violation, and can only be applied by a Steam employee.
Understanding Steam Trade Bans
To delve deeper into the world of Steam trading and the potential risks involved, it’s essential to understand the reasons behind trade bans and how they can impact your Steam account.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is a trade ban on Steam?
A trade ban on Steam is a restriction that prevents an account from trading items or games with other users, and it can be applied if an account is found to be involved in scamming or other malicious activities.
2. How do I know if I am trade banned on Steam?
To check if your Steam account has any trading restrictions, log in to your account and visit the Community Market, where any applicable trading restrictions will be displayed at the top of the page.
3. Can you get trade banned on Steam for no reason?
Trade bans are typically applied for violating Steam’s terms of service, such as scamming or impersonation, and are not usually given without a valid reason.
4. How long do Steam trade bans last?
The duration of a Steam trade ban can vary, with some bans being temporary and lasting for a specified period, while others can be permanent.
5. What is trade probation on Steam?
Trade probation on Steam refers to a temporary trading restriction that may be applied to an account for a lesser infraction, allowing the user to continue trading after a specified period.
6. Can Steam Support remove trade bans?
Steam Support cannot modify trading restrictions or remove trade bans, regardless of the circumstances under which the ban was applied.
7. Why do I have to wait 7 days to trade on Steam?
If you cancel a trade that is being held by Steam, you may see a 7-day trading cooldown to prevent further unauthorized attempts to trade away items.
8. How do I get rid of a trade ban on Steam?
Since Steam Support cannot modify trading restrictions, the only way to lift a trade ban is to wait for the specified period to expire or to appeal the ban through Steam’s support channels.
9. Is it legal to sell items on Steam?
Selling items and skins on Steam is not against the rules, but Valve will offer no protection, and scams can occur, so users must be cautious.
10. Can you trade Steam items for money?
The Steam trading interface does not support the transfer of money in any form, including Wallet credits, PayPal, or gift cards.
11. What happens if you decline a trade on Steam?
If you decline a trade offer from another player on Steam, the trade offer will simply be rejected, and the items or games being offered will remain in the possession of the original owner.
12. What is trade lock on Steam?
Trade Lock on Steam is a feature that prevents trading an item less than 8 days after the previous trade, aiming to stop scammers from moving hijacked items to storage accounts.
13. How do I verify my Steam account for trading?
You can verify your Steam account for trading by setting up the Steam Mobile App as a Mobile Authenticator, which will provide you with confirmation requests for trades.
14. Why do I have to wait 15 days to trade on Steam?
If you haven’t had your account protected by a Mobile Authenticator for at least the last 7 days, items leaving your account will be held by Steam for up to 15 days, providing you time to discover any unauthorized transactions.
15. Can you bypass Steam trade restrictions?
There is no legitimate way to bypass Steam trade restrictions, and attempting to do so may result in further penalties, including permanent bans.