Scam warnings

[coldandtired]

I'm sure this is obvious to most of us, but as there seem to be a lot of new registrations recently I thought I'd add it.

There are at least three scams going around (please feel free to add more if you know them).

Scam 1: As you can only exchange up to 8 items at once, the scammer arranges a deal with 9+ of your items for 1 of his 'super' items. He then asks you to send your 9th + items first, and then the last 8 at the same time as his item. Needless to say, after the first items leave your inventory, the second trade doesn't happen.

Scam 2: Apparently, there is nothing stopping someone using the nametag to add the word 'community' or 'Vintage' (thanks Glitch) to his item, and then demand a higher price for it. Real community items have a green name, are level 50, and have a description showing that they were given to valuable community contributors. Vintage items have a blue name. Remember that you can hover over the item in the trade window to see its stats before you click the trade button. Unusual hats have attach particle effect (long number) in the description. Check the trader's backpack on tf2items.com or tf2b.com - hidden backpacks should be a warning sign, and any renamed items will contain quotation marks (" ") on the title (thanks alias).

Scam 3: Someone who offers to paint a hat for you. Says he can't give you the paint because he bought it. So you transfer the hat to him and wait patiently for the nice man to give back your painted hat.

Scam 4: Items can be put inside gift wrapping. This has a legitimate use because it allows some items to be traded/gifted where previously they couldn't be. However, if you believe the other person when they tell you that there's an Unusual inside the gift wrapping and all they want for it is 3 hats...

[Glitch]

Scam 2: Apparently, there is nothing stopping someone using the nametag to add the word 'community' to his item, and then demand a higher price for it. Real community items have a green name, are level 50, and have a description showing that they were given to valuable community contributors. Remember that you can hover over the item in the trade window to see its stats before you click the trade button.

This will probably count for 'Vintage' as well. Vintage items are obtained before the release of the Mann-Conomy Update and have a blue name.

[kan]

I have seen victims of scam 2 on the steam forums so be careful out there.

[alias]

Another thing to add is that some ultra rare hats with particles have the particle as status of the weapon. You can clearly see that.

If you ever are going to trade be sure to check his backpack at tf2 items (if hidden its quite obvious that they are up to scamming most of the time). If a weapon is renamed then on tf2 items it will have double quotes arround the name.

[ScrewMeh*]

Another thing. There seems to be a way of people opening trades and showing an item as an "unusual" then when traded it reverts back to a normal hat.
example - someone on a trade server i visit traded today for an "unusual" whoopee cap. the in-game read just after that

scammer traded for: item a
scammer traded for: item b
scammer traded for: item c
Unfortunate person traded for: Whoopee cap
scammer left the game (disonnect by user)

it showed up in trade window as unusual, then in-game it was a standard non vintage yellow text whoopee cap

For the love of all that is loved guys, do NOT trade with someone unless you are 100% sure what you receive is legit.
Check their backpacks first to see if it is actually that item

[ScrewMeh*]

Just for xerxes

[kan]

KITTEH!!

[coldandtired]

There is now a 'Gift Wrap' item hidden in the game files, so expect wrapped 'Super-duper' items to be offered soon.

[BelovedKiller]

There is now a 'Gift Wrap' item hidden in the game files, so expect wrapped 'Super-duper' items to be offered soon.

i'd expect to see

"ZOMG I JUST BOUGHT DIZ AWESOME HAT, I'LL TRADE FOR 3 HATZ, ITS GIFT WRAPPED SO YOU CAN GETZ IT"

then it turns out to be a wrapped axtinguisher or some worthless stuff..

[willy]

A new one that has come to light which is very deceptive..

A very small number of servers are runnning a hat mod of some sort.
What this does it gives donors the chance to edit there hats on that server with a choice of over 6000 ish colours and effects.

If u are new to that server u may see people running about with what looks like an unusual, u may get in to a trade and loose a lot of ur items for this "hat" only to leave the server and your hat becomes normal without any effects at all..

I have heard of a few people who have been caught out this way loosing 6-8 hats for a normal mining light.
So my tip is when in trade always hover over the hat or item in question to make sure it does what it says on the tin..

[ScrewMeh*]

Thanks for the insight willy, i vists trading servers quite frequently, i will watch out for this.

[willy]

Thanks for the insight willy, i vists trading servers quite frequently, i will watch out for this.

It says it in the chat box on the server, its quite tricky to spot with all the trade spam though, thankfully i spotted it and bolted.. It says somthing like "donors get benefits which include 6000 colours and effects for your hats and other benefits.."

[Meadow]

And before I forget I will post the steam version of how to prevent scamming etc under this:

http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/s ... ?t=1554544

Here you go, the thread will be mostly updated with the newest scam warnings and the like.

[Perry]

today somebody offered me a game for my hats

minecraft

gave me pass and account

said it was his friends

i logged in and it worked!

butttt what happens is, he would take my hats and then change the password via the email account which he is control of

(i didnt trade my hats)

but just wanted to warn our beautiful community

[Binerexis]

Trading outside of TF2 is against Valve's guidelines anyway; if you do so it's at your own risk.

[Meadow]

Scam 4: Items can be put inside gift wrapping. This has a legitimate use because it allows some items to be traded/gifted where previously they couldn't be. However, if you believe the other person when they tell you that there's an Unusual inside the gift wrapping and all they want for it is 3 hats...

Currently its not possible anymore to giftwrap something "anonymous" in the trade you will see what is in it.

[coldandtired]

Thanks Meadow. I'll update the whole post later tonight to reflect the current state of trading.

[mixxy]

tnx for this!