Steam account stolen? Here’s how to get it back

The video game industry doesn’t stop growing. In fact, it’s estimated to reach a market value of $197 billion by the end of 2022 and surpass $250 billion by 2025. This, coupled with its irresistible appeal to increasingly younger gamers, has contributed to an increase in fraud and targeted cyber attacks affecting the platforms and their users alike. A recent survey conducted by ESET Latin America revealed that one in three gamers has experienced an attempt to cheat on a video game platform.

An extremely popular gaming platform is Steam, and unfortunately not only among gamers. Cyber ​​criminals often use social engineering tactics to hijack other people’s game accounts and confidential information, which they can sell on underground forums or use for fraud. Steam Customer Support receives more than 20,000 requests per day regarding security-related issues or from people who have lost access to their accounts.

In this article, we’ll look at what you can do if your Steam account has been hijacked by someone else.

What to do if your Steam account was hacked?

If you notice that someone else has accessed your Steam account, either due to login alerts or suspicious account activity, the first step is to remain calm.

First, change the password to your account, regardless of whether the criminals have already changed it or not. This can be done in the Steam app or here on the Steam website. This will also end all current user sessions on all devices, including the ones you didn’t start yourself.

It is important to ensure that the new password is not related to your old password and that it is unique and secure. While you’re at it, avoid these password mistakes.



If you are unable to regain access to your account (e.g. because the cybercriminal changed some of your information), you will need to contact Steam Customer Support directly and provide proof of account ownership as described here. Note that you may be asked to send payment details previously used for purchases made through the account.

Second, you should check the list of transactions made on the account, e.g. B. Purchases or sales of content. If you spot a transaction that you don’t recognize, you can report it using the same form described in this help article.

Thirdly, you should consider what kind of information the criminal might have accessed after breaking into your account. That way you can take precautions against what might happen after the hack. For example, they may know your full name, contact information, and other information that can be used for phishing attempts.

If you’re logging into another app or online service at the same time with the same credentials (which, let’s be honest, a lot of people do), you’ll need to change the credentials to those services immediately as well.

Finally, you should also consider possible collateral damage that may result from the hack. It’s important to be aware of identity theft red flags, especially if your personal and payment details have fallen into the wrong hands.

How to secure your Steam account

Changing the password to a strong and unique one (perhaps with the help of a password manager that can generate such passwords for you) is not the only precaution you should take to protect your Steam account in the future.

The platform offers a two-factor authentication system called Steam Guard, which adds an extra layer of security to your account so that it’s not just protected by your password. 2FA is especially useful when a criminal is trying to log into your account from someone else’s device.

With 2FA enabled, every time you log in from a device that you have not previously marked as “trusted”, you will receive either an email or the Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator (a function) a unique code. or that you have not previously used to access your account. It is also possible to untrust all devices and require the passcode to be generated and sent to you on every single login attempt, which can help prevent fraudulent login attempts where, for example, someone else gains access to your e- provided a mail account.

In any case, it’s important to be on the lookout for messages pretending to be from Steam and phishing for your credentials. This article explains in more detail what you need to look out for to avoid becoming a victim of a phishing attack. Finally, using a trusted security solution that will go a long way in protecting your desktop and mobile devices.