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NiceTraderJoe 24 Jul, 2014 @ 11:08am
Phishing Countermeasure: Seller Option to Hide Steam ID
Howdy!

Like many of you, I have been plagued with phishing bot friend requests that originate from this site. The bot’s current method is to scrape my Steam ID from links displayed here and then friend me directly with that information.

I have not seen this suggestion rejected after reviewing the list found here: https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/groups/tf2outpost/discussions/6/666826166345755101/

I propose a countermeasure by giving sellers the option to hide text or links that normally contain my Steam ID; buyers would ask to be friended in order to trade in person (rather than with Trade Offer link).

  1. Add user profile option to hide Steam ID instances
    1. “Add on Steam” link
    2. “View Steam Profile” direct link to Steam
    3. Anywhere else my Steam ID directly appears to users
  2. If a user wants to friend me to trade in person, that user must request to be friended (the usual “friend me” reply to a selling post) before in-person trading can occur.

Using this method will put me (the user) in control over who can and cannot see my Steam ID, thus making it more difficult for phishing bots to spam me. Users will still be able to communicate with me via post replies and trade offers. Anyone who wants to add me directly as a friend must first ask me directly in the trade post before being friended.

Thank you for your consideration and have a great day!

Joe.
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Showing 1-11 of 11 comments
norby89 24 Jul, 2014 @ 11:19am 
How would you friend them if they also have this option enabled?
#1
Sunny! 24 Jul, 2014 @ 11:21am 
Originally posted by norby89:
How would you friend them if they also have this option enabled?
That's a good question Norby. But what we should REALLY be asking is why Joe keeps on throwing these things to us when the last 2 things were rejected. The second one Blue Screen of Death actually scolded him. Surely he should have gotten the hint that you guys can't do ANYTHING about these as of right now. This ALSO prevents the Steam ID from being shown (Not the number one.) so there's NO way to tell if the trade is by a known scammer. The normal scammers who are AWARE of the false phishing links will take this to their advantage.
Last edited by Sunny!; 24 Jul, 2014 @ 11:24am
#2
NiceTraderJoe 24 Jul, 2014 @ 11:42am 
@norby89 Send them a trade offer link. After friended, remove link. Another solution would be a private message system with the friend link in the private message. Problem solved.

@[•L•R•] MrOmNomNom3 Nobody else seems to be making more suggestions. It does appear that site admins have already surrendered to phishing bots and have no intention of trying to do anything about phishing. However if site admins do care about phishing and want to try to do something about it here on the site, the only way to get more ideas is to listen to more ideas. There is a difference between "can't" and "won't", so hopefully someone will suggest something that can help. As long as new ideas are wanted, feedback should be encouraged.
#3
NiceTraderJoe 24 Jul, 2014 @ 11:45am 
I guess the main issue is: How are phishing bots using this site to succeed a phishing and how can the site disrupt bot success? My point of view is that bots are getting Steam IDs from the site. How can the site disrupt that?
Last edited by NiceTraderJoe; 24 Jul, 2014 @ 11:45am
#4
kléni 24 Jul, 2014 @ 11:46am 
But none of your ideas are new. They can get your steamID from steamcommunity, so blame valve.
Last edited by kléni; 24 Jul, 2014 @ 11:49am
#5
NiceTraderJoe 24 Jul, 2014 @ 11:54am 
Yes, there are many places to get my Steam ID. However, my Steam ID is harvested most often whenever I bump a trade here at the site. My goal in suggestions here is to hopefully reduce the ability of phishing success whenever a trade is submitted or bumped here.

According to the list of rejections, this idea here may be a new one.
Last edited by NiceTraderJoe; 24 Jul, 2014 @ 11:55am
#6
1337Walrus 24 Jul, 2014 @ 1:45pm 
Originally posted by kléni:
But none of your ideas are new.
#7
NiceTraderJoe 24 Jul, 2014 @ 1:47pm 
@1337Walrus #bread Since there is not a list of ideas, it is hard to tell is an idea is actually new or not. From what I could find out, this idea has not been submitted as described. If you know otherwise, please point me to the thread with the idea. I would appreciate it. ^_^
#8
1337Walrus 24 Jul, 2014 @ 1:48pm 
Well, most of them, anyway. I haven't seen this one anywhere, so this is actually new.

The point still stands is that they get your profile and add you through the steamcommunity.
#9
NiceTraderJoe 24 Jul, 2014 @ 1:50pm 
Correct. I want to make the phishing process more difficult. Hiding my Steam ID would accomplish that.
#10
Blue Screen of Death 24 Jul, 2014 @ 1:56pm 
This suggestion is not new - we only list suggestions that are not obvious "NOs". You would know that if you were a regular on these forums.

Also, you are suggesting AGAIN something that has been discussed in the thread YOU created, read it one more time: https://steamhost.cn/steamcommunity_com/groups/tf2outpost/discussions/0/38596747734811146/#c38596747761331928

Why people won't spam the Steam forums with ideas instead? They are the ones with power to stop this forever, they own the software... not us.
Last edited by Blue Screen of Death; 24 Jul, 2014 @ 2:02pm
#11
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