Check the user's profile is one of the easiest ways to avoid getting scammed. I'll list three things to do before you accept a friend request and start trading

1- Check how many years he's on the community, usually scammers use new accounts, so the older it is the better.



2- Check if there is an "Trade Ban" on his account. If it is, he'll probably ask you to add him in another account (as I said, they usually use new accounts). Don't do that, if he's banned, there is a good reason.



3- If he has on "trade probation" or "under supervision", I advise you to not trade with him.



If the guy doesn't have a lot of years in community or pages with commendations, it's not a reason to decline his friend request, but if he's with a trade ban or a trade probation, I advise you to decline his friend request.

What is irrelevant on the user profile:
- +rep on profiles (the user can ask to anyone to +rep his profile and he can delete the -rep);
- Profile signed by a "pro player" or a "famous streamer";
- High level on steam (anyone can get it, in your 1st month you can get a high level);
- A lot of friends adds (the user can add a lot o people, that doesn't means that he's nice and not a scammer);

http://www.steamrep.com is a forum where people report scammers. All the reports are visible, so if you go there and search for any trader, you'll be able to see if the guy is a scammer, if he has pending reports or is an regular and legal trader.

To check the user's profile, you'll need to do only two steps:

1st Step: Select the URL from his profile:



2nd Step: Go to SteamRep.com and put his profile on: "Check reputation status for a Steam user:", and click on search for possible results:



After the research, it'll show you five possible results. I'll explain all 5:

"No special reputation" means that the user doesn't have any report against him, so you'll be able to trade with him, but it doesn't means that you should trust him 100%.

"Banned by SteamRep" means that the user is a confirmed scammer, and he's probably banned from differents trading sites. I advise you to not trade with him, it'll result in a scammer tag to you and some bans too, also he can try to scam you in the trade, just delete him.

"Unconfirmed reports" don't means that the user is a scammer, and sometimes the reports are nonsense, but if you read and take the conclusion that he's a scammer, do not trade with him.

"Caution" means that the user was involved in some trades with scammers, but he wasn't the scammer and isn't guilty about what happened. I advise you to not trade with him, because if you do, you'll be buying a stolen item and helping scammers selling their items. But feel free to trade with him.

"Middleman" or "Administrator" means that the user is a trusted trader, so you can trade with him normally and safely, because they've proved to community that they are trusted traders.

Enhanced Steam is an app for Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox, that provide you some informations about the user (the informations will be displayed in the user profile).
I've listed the information provided by the Enhanced Steam below:
- SteamRep profile link;
- Steam Database profile link;
- SteamGifts profile link;
- Achievment Stats profile link;
- Backpack.tf profile link;



If the user already has tagged as scammer, the Enhanced Steam will show this information:



If the user already has tagged with a "caution tag", the Steam Enhanced will show this information:



If the user is an admin from some website and already proved that he's trusted, the Steam Enhanced will show this information:



If it doesn't show any information, it's because the user has a regular situation, but he can still have some pending reports, so make sure and check his SteamRep profile.

There are many ways that the scammer can use to scam you. I made a short list of the most used types of scams:

- Money through the steam wallet;
- Impersonating;
- Fast Switch;
- Involving a trusted friend;
- Bots with phishing links;
- Money scam;
- Money scam (Paypal chargeback);

There are some videos on youtube that shows how this scam's works.

(I'll be explaining every kind listed soon).

How it works: The scammer can add you or send you a simple trade offer. On the trade offer, he'll write some informations, telling you that right after you accept the trade offer, you'll get the money on your steam wallet. If you accept the offer, he'll get your item and you won't get the money.

Always remember: It is impossible to transfer money through steam wallet.

Examples of this type of scam:

How it works: The scammer will change his profile picture, nickname, and will try to get his profile like a reputable trader or some bot from an knowed website.
He'll probably send you a trade offer, saying that there is an error with your items, and he'll need to check the items. So he'll send you a trade offer asking the items. If you accept the trade offer, the scammer will get your items, and you won't be able to recover them.

Always remember: Steam users are not responsible for bugs, if there is a bug you will be contacted via Steam Support.

Examples of this type of scam:

How it works: The scammer will add you and ask if your item is up for trade. You'll tell him that you're looking to trade it, and you will tell him your buyout (b.o.), and he'll agree with your price. After agree with your price, he'll ask you if you have a trusted friend online, to check/hold your item (he wants that you give your item to your friend), so if you answer "no" he'll say that he won't be able to trade with you, if you answer "yes" he'll ask you to add your friend on the chat, and give him (your friend) the item (at this momment, he's changing the profile picture and nickname from his alternative account making it looks like yours). After you give your item to your friend, he'll add your friend to his chat with his alternative account and then, send a trade to your friend asking the item back. So your friend will probably think that you are asking the item back, and give him, so the scammer will get your item and after that he'll delete you and your friend from his friendlist.

If any guy add you and ask you have a trusted friend online, you can delete him on this time, because he'll be trying to scam you.

How it works: A BOT will add you right after you bump trades on trading websites. If you accept them, they'll send you a message with a link with an excuse to you click on it. Do not click in any link sent through Steam, if your best friend send you a link via Steam, ask him what is the link, if he gives you a reasonable answer open it, otherwise do not open it.

How to identify a "phishing bot"?
After accept the friend request, check the user's profile, usually bots have:
- Level 0 on steam;
- Only free games;
- Less than 5 friends;
- Check the comments, sometimes there are user's comments saying "-rep bot/-rep scammer";
- Private profile/inventory;

Also you need to pay attention with the links, sometimes it looks like steam, but it isn't, take a look on this example:

Checking the user's profile and SteamRep won't guarantee that he won't try to scam you, but it'll help you in 90% of the time.

There are alot of differents kinds of scam's, and all you need to know about trading is:
- There isn't any way to transfer money through steam;
- Never tell your login and password;
- Don't trust in anybody, there are alot of "impersonating" scammers out there;
- Look to the items before accept the trade to see if you're trading the right amount/item;

Please, leave your feedback.
It'll help me to improve my future's guides.
If you found any "gramatical mistake" or useless information in this guide, let me know, leave an comment and I'll fix it as soon as possible.

I will leave my trade offer URL here, so if you want to support me to create other Steam Guides by donating any stuffs, I will be glad :D
My trade offer URL

Hope I helped you guys, good luck trading!