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Youtuber Steam Key scam: #StealKeyRequest

TuismTuism
edited in General
There's a scam going around where people pose as youtubers to get keys from game devs to sell. It's pretty scary how easy it happens - have a read:
The very next day I thought it might be worth looking into the scale of the scam, personally. I took one of the messages...

<edited for length>

Allow me to underline this: I spent 3 hours sending out emails to almost 50 developers simply asking them for a Steam key, claiming that I was a youtuber with 50k subscribers. In return, I received Steam keys worth over 400 USD. This means I could have theoretically made close to 150 bucks an hour.
http://www.gamasutra.com/blogs/LeszekLisowski/20141001/226840/

Comments

  • rustybroomhandlerustybroomhandle
    Here's a sample one:
    Hello my friend! My name is Vadim, i'm russian blogger/game reviewer. Your game - The Maker's Eden Soundtrack Edition (http://store.steampowered.com/app/313360/) is very interesting for me and to my home bears! Can you give me press code (Steam Review Code) of this game? I want write many articles about her in my blogs: soulcry.name, 72v.ru and yohho.org. Articles can be: first looks, walkthrough, guides (achievements and other) and full review! it all depends on the capabilities of this game. on the average i write 1-10 articles and all it takes up to 7 days(or a little more if your game is very long and interesting for me)! when i publish all my reviews or something else - I'll send you a link! In the future I plan to open its own channel on YouTube and Twitch for streaming and rewrite all my reviews to video format! Honesty i guarantee!

    Presently I collaborate with: Ubisoft, Deep Silver, Capcom, SEGA, Square Enix, Microsoft Game Studios, SOE, Focus Home Interactive, Konami Digital Entertainment, Triumph Studios, Frictional Games, Double Fine Productions, 505 Games, Daedalic Entertainment, Team17, Paradox Interactive, Bandai Namco and many other!

    Example my review: http://soulcry.name/obzor-igry-crusader-kings-2-nazad-v-srednevekove/ , http://soulcry.name/obzor-igry-metal-gear-rising-revengeance-eto-tolko-nachalo/ or others! Or Preview: http://soulcry.name/predvaritelnyj-obzor-igry-age-of-wonders-3/ http://soulcry.name/obzor-igry-landmark-beta-postroj-svoj-gorod/!

    Thank you and sorry for my bad English!

    P.S Also i can send my review in Steam (if you want)! My Steam link is: http://steamcommunity.com/id/soulcry

    Kind regards!
  • bischonatorbischonator
    The way to combat this is to check if they are sending it from the correct email address (if you can find the youtuber/reviewers details). If you suspect it may be a scam,then ask them to send you a message from their youtube account to your youtube account. Easy as that.
  • TuismTuism
    Yep I should have posted the conclusion. Use Youtube's messages to verify identities. Do it!
  • bischonatorbischonator
    We are already getting the scammy emails and we don't even have a product out yet.
    Apparently the biggest use of the keys are the black market steam key sites that sell keys for a few dollars.
  • TuismTuism
    Here's an idea - what if you give them fake keys? Like just random made up ones. What would happen? They can't check it without redeeming it, or could they? They probably don't.
  • ShadowBladeShadowBlade
    I currently check if email addresses are the same. I sure get a few requests from "very popular Russian Let's Player"..
    Getting Google+ going for my account so I can send them the keys via YT message system (I'll tell them that in the email)
  • dislekciadislekcia
    Most recently I'm getting mails from someone saying they're representing https://www.youtube.com/user/minecraftukraine, except they have a mail.ru address and that's weirding me out.

    Unfortunately I can't seem to get G+ linked on our youtube account, so I can't send them messages directly that way. Meh :(
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