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Enable Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator, secure the email account tied to Steam, and treat every sign-in or recovery code as a password. If your account is already compromised, secure your computer and email before changing your Steam password. For an unfamiliar payment, use Steam’s official support flow and never send Support your full card number, expiration date, or CVV.
Enable Steam Guard and prepare for account recovery
Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator is part of the official Steam Mobile app. It adds a sign-in check to your account: its one-time code changes every 30 seconds. Depending on the sign-in, you can enter a code, approve a request in the app, or scan a Steam sign-in QR code. Before approving a request, check the sign-in details shown in the app. See Steam Support’s Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator guide.
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Set up recovery options
- Add a phone number to your Steam account. Steam says it can help with password resets or transferring the authenticator; a phone number can be associated with one Steam account at a time.
- Keep Steam’s backup codes somewhere other people cannot access. Steam recommends printing them rather than storing them on a computer or taking a screenshot.
- Never share a Steam Guard code, SMS recovery code, or authenticator code. Steam says Support and Valve employees will not ask for your password or mobile authenticator code.
- Use a strong, unique Steam password, and follow your email provider’s security recommendations. Steam’s Account Security Recommendations also advise enabling two-factor authentication.
If you change phones
Transfer the authenticator when possible. Steam says transferring it places a two-day restriction on trading and the Community Market; removing it causes a 15-day restriction on trading or selling items. These restrictions concern Steam inventory activity, not payment-card protection.
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Recognize phishing and protect your credentials
Do not sign in through a link just because it arrived from a friend: their account could be compromised. Steam warns that phishing pages impersonate Steam or gaming sites, so check the destination carefully and enter credentials only when you are certain the site is trusted. Steam Support names steampowered.com and steamcommunity.com as examples of official Steam websites, but this is not an exhaustive list; if unsure, navigate to Steam Support directly rather than following a message link. Its Account Stolen guidance states, “Steam Support will never ask for your password.”
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- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
- Do not give anyone your password, authenticator code, or SMS recovery code.
- Steam says Support does not use the Friends network to contact users. It also says Support will not ask for CD keys or credit-card purchase information unless you have contacted Support through its system.
- Be especially wary of requests to “vote” for a team or visit a gaming site to sign in. Steam describes this as a phishing tactic in its “Scam: Vote for My Team” advisory.
Recover a stolen Steam account
If you suspect a takeover, follow Steam’s order: secure the device and the email account associated with Steam before changing the Steam password. Otherwise, malicious software or a compromised email account could let an attacker capture the new password or interfere with recovery.
- Scan the computer. Check for viruses, keyloggers, spyware, or other malicious code, and address any infection before resetting Steam credentials.
- Change your email password. Use the email provider’s account-security process and secure that account as well.
- Start Steam recovery. Go to Steam Help and use the account-recovery process to change your password.
- Contact Steam Support if self-recovery fails. Use the Support contact form presented during the process and provide as much proof of ownership as you can. Steam says recovery is still possible if you have forgotten the account email, password, and phone number. See Recovering a Lost or Forgotten Steam Account.
Respond to an unfamiliar Steam charge
First check whether a household member or anyone else with access to the payment method made the purchase. If the charge remains unexplained, use Steam’s official Unrecognized Charges support flow. Steam says Support will never request your full credit-card number, expiration date, or CVV. For a PayPal statement charge, Steam directs customers to retrieve the invoice ID from PayPal for Support; do not send full payment credentials.
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- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
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- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
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- Visa Virtual eGift Cards are designed for online use only. Gift Cards are subject to Terms and Conditions: a.co/5bw3qXJ
- When you access your Visa Virtual eGift Card for the first time, you’ll need to register your name, address, phone number, and email address via activationspot.com. These details should also be used as your billing address for online purchases, as many merchants require address verification for purchase authorization.
- This Visa Virtual eGift Card is non-reloadable. No cash or ATM access. Visa Virtual eGift Cards are emailed active.
- Funds do not expire but your Visa Virtual eGift Card has a ‘valid thru’ date (9 years from date of purchase). If funds remain after this date has passed, please call the Toll Free number found on your Visa Virtual eGift Card for a replacement card. A one-time purchase fee applies at the time of checkout.
- This item is not eligible for refund, resale, or return. Available for sale within the United States only. Not available to residents of Puerto Rico, Hawaii, New Mexico, South Dakota, West Virginia and the US Virgin Islands.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
