Fallen from grace- STEAM "support" aka shutdown your case aka sucks to suck >:(

All Discussions > Steam Forums > Steam Community > Topic Details

Tofu Mentality 29 Aug @ 7:09pm

I never thought I would be here writing a community post to share my thoughts, but here I am.

Recently I have undergone severe spine surgery and since I have been playing CS2 (counter strike 2) essentially nonstop. I am a collector so seeing the skin market popping was exciting to say the least.
This was my one small beacon of light during my time of great risk and recovery post surgery.

I went and did the cycle of purchasing a few skins, of substantial amounts, as well as opening an absurd amount of crates + capsules (essentially gacha type games).

I was having fun and my mind could be off the pain as well as the feelings related to the current risk of losing the entire lower half of my body- I have always been athletic and this would be detrimental to me.
WHAT HAPPENED NEXT was UnBeLieVaBlE...........

I was using my own mobile steam guard to double check and re-verify that my account security measures were indeed in place-- This is per Steam's direct recommendation on the account security tabs.

Upon doing so, I was instantly penalized and hit with a 15 day trade ban and severe violation (essentially triggering a false positive)
So myself, a simple collector gets hit with a half month trade ban while scammers and people looking to make monetary gains from third party sites violating steams TOS are able to roam free?

What bothers me most is I did all the correct things, yet the complete LACK of support and LACK of explanation as well as LACK of a amicable resolution from "STEAM SUPPORT" truly feels unjust.

I have been a patron of steam for +15 years and have supported this company from its foundation along with many of you........ Now imagine reaching out for help and getting shut down and dismissed even after admitting their own mistake.

The final message that caused me to write this was from an individual in support named "Logan" this individual suggested that because I was the one using my own steam guard then its clear I get punished. The implication being if some random stranger was given my steam guard I would not have been punished-- which would NOT BE RECOMMENDED OR SECURE (yet LOGAN recommended this)

Back in the days I remember when steam support actually cared about its vast community even then they did their best to make sure everybody had a great experience.

Now they just outsource to people who act on emotion and are given the power to simply dismiss any cases with issues exploiting themselves. They do not seek to solve your problem becuase they admittingly do not have the abilites to do so-- instead they give you the old "oh its because of (insert vague explanation here) followed by an instant shut down so you cannot even continue the discussion with "support".

so I ask, what kind of support is this?

TL:DR
I verified my own security in accordance with steam-- got a 15 day trade ban (reserved for the worst of the worst)

< >

Showing 1-15 of 16 comments

datCookie 29 Aug @ 7:21pm

The 15 day trade ban is in place when any change is made to account security, I believe. This is to ensure that if someone hijacked your account, they couldn't modify all your security measures and then start trading your inventory away at will.

It gives the account owner 15 days to regain control of their account.

You weren't punished, it's just the system doing its job.

miamew3 29 Aug @ 7:24pm

Why are my items on hold?
Any trades or Market listings created before a Mobile Authenticator is added, or during the first 7 days after it is added, will be held for 15 days. Trades or Market listings created more than 7 days after a Mobile Authenticator is added will not be held by Steam. Adding a Mobile Authenticator will not reduce the length of existing item holds.

https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/7EFD-3CAE-64D3-1C31#restrictions

nullable 29 Aug @ 9:27pm

If you set everything up initially, what is there to check?

If your check involved making changes, then you'll trigger a cooldown. Who wasn't sure their security was in place? And that's Valves fault?

Also can you point us at the policies you were following that told you to make significant account changes? Valve may not be responsible for your interpretation of their security KB

Last edited by nullable; 29 Aug @ 9:34pm

Tofu Mentality 29 Aug @ 10:06pm

@nullable
As I had added a substantial amount of funds to the account in a short period, I wanted to make sure the mobile number was my current number and not one of my international ones.

They say- Disabling steam guard (for any amount of time) incurs an instant 15 day trade lock automatically.

My point is- how could my steam guard be disabled when it was being actively used with no disable/re-enable action. If changing the number counts as the entire steam guard being disabled should my application in my hand not have booted me out and had me sign in?

I had the same exact device in my hand with the same exact mobile number and by checking the mobile number alone, no email or other related steam guard change- no update or change of device.
How could it be deemed disabled? this is the question they refused the answer.

If it was disabled I could not have used it, yet i used it.

Tofu Mentality 29 Aug @ 10:07pm

moreover, rather than giving me an explanation after multiple attempts they have decided to suspend any support on my account for an unspecified amount of time- meaning if anything serious were to happen I would not be able to reach steam support in any way.
This is user infringement, plain and simple.

d3str0y3r 29 Aug @ 10:15pm

Originally posted by Tofu Mentality:
moreover, rather than giving me an explanation after multiple attempts they have decided to suspend any support on my account for an unspecified amount of time- meaning if anything serious were to happen I would not be able to reach steam support in any way.
This is user infringement, plain and simple.

This is what happens when you spam support with stuff they don't handle.

Steam Support cannot modify trading or Community Market restrictions, regardless of the circumstances under which your account became restricted.

https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/451E-96B3-D194-50FC

cSg|mc-Hotsauce 29 Aug @ 10:18pm

Originally posted by Tofu Mentality:
@nullable
As I had added a substantial amount of funds to the account in a short period, I wanted to make sure the mobile number was my current number and not one of my international ones.

They say- Disabling steam guard (for any amount of time) incurs an instant 15 day trade lock automatically.

My point is- how could my steam guard be disabled when it was being actively used with no disable/re-enable action. If changing the number counts as the entire steam guard being disabled should my application in my hand not have booted me out and had me sign in?

I had the same exact device in my hand with the same exact mobile number and by checking the mobile number alone, no email or other related steam guard change- no update or change of device.
How could it be deemed disabled? this is the question they refused the answer.

If it was disabled I could not have used it, yet i used it.

Changing the number triggers the restriction but does not log you out of the app.

The only things that log you out is changing/resetting the password, deauthorizing the device and disabling the mobile authenticator to switch back to email guard.

Tofu Mentality 29 Aug @ 11:45pm

@cSglmc-Hotsauce
Bingo that is exactly my point- never was the steam guard de-authorized or deemed inactive based on my exact specific actions which are not covered by their terms of service-- as they clearly have overlooked this facet of security that I did not.

it is a false positive by their own definition.

cSg|mc-Hotsauce 29 Aug @ 11:49pm

Originally posted by Tofu Mentality:
@cSglmc-Hotsauce
Bingo that is exactly my point- never was the steam guard de-authorized or deemed inactive based on my exact specific actions which are not covered by their terms of service-- as they clearly have overlooked this facet of security that I did not.

it is a false positive by their own definition.

It isn't a false positive. It is a security measure.

Tofu Mentality 30 Aug @ 12:23am

Yes a security measure that should not have been put in place- it would be the same as you opening your security deposit box (if you even have one) and then suddenly the bank tells you its not your box or key because you wanted to check the contents and you have to wait 15 days before you are allowed to use the box you are currently holding and currently opening with the same key.

#10

Zarineth 30 Aug @ 12:37am

Originally posted by Tofu Mentality:
Yes a security measure that should not have been put in place- it would be the same as you opening your security deposit box (if you even have one) and then suddenly the bank tells you its not your box or key because you wanted to check the contents and you have to wait 15 days before you are allowed to use the box you are currently holding and currently opening with the same key.

I mean, your (or anyone's) opinion on it doesn't really matter. Valve added a load of security measures like that, because users keep giving away their accounts and losing their inventories. It's not a Support problem.

I would go as far as to say, that it's an user problem and will be resolved only after people will start thinking before clicking. Which most likely means never.

#11

Tofu Mentality 30 Aug @ 1:23am

However, for something so detrimental to happen as a consequence for something recommended and beneficial, such as checking your security measures-- especially in my unique circumstance; is absolutely beyond me.

I fully understand the reasons why these measures are in place, but what happened to me was the equivalence of changing your phone passcode to the identical same one, while holding your phone and then being locked out of it because it is telling me that now I have to wait to use my own passcode on my own device which was fine 3.2 seconds ago.

#12

Crazy Tiger 30 Aug @ 1:32am

What exactly is "unique" here?

#13

Tofu Mentality 30 Aug @ 2:12am

***I will not responding to further comments that have not read everything including the TOS regarding the matter in its entirety.

serious discussion only please.

#14

Crazy Tiger 30 Aug @ 6:16am

I am being serious and I have read the thread. There is nothing "unique" about your situation, as it's the unfortunate event of a user doing something they thought they had to do, but did not. And thusly triggered security features.

I'm not sure why you're trying hard to find some kind of error in it all.

Edit: Just saw the childish comment you posted on my profile. Grow up, please.

Last edited by Crazy Tiger; 30 Aug @ 9:26am

#15

< >

Showing 1-15 of 16 comments

Per page: 1530 50

All Discussions > Steam Forums > Steam Community > Topic Details

Date Posted: 29 Aug @ 7:09pm

Posts: 16

Start a New Discussion