Trade Safely

A comprehensive guide to protecting yourself while trading skins, using cashout services, and navigating skin marketplaces.

Use Verified Platforms Only

Stick to platforms listed in our directory that carry a Verified badge. These have passed our editorial review for transparency, fee disclosure, and operational history. If a site isn't in our directory, treat it with caution until you can verify its legitimacy independently.

Watch for Phishing URLs

Scammers create lookalike domains (e.g., cs.money-secure or tradeit-gg.com) to steal credentials. Always check the URL bar carefully before logging in. Bookmark legitimate sites rather than clicking links from chats, emails, or social media comments.

Check URLs Before Trading

Before entering Steam credentials or sending items, verify the domain matches the official site exactly. Watch for homograph attacks using similar-looking characters. When in doubt, navigate to the site directly from our directory rather than following external links.

Protect Your Steam API Key

Never share your Steam Web API key with anyone. A common scam involves tricking users into revealing their API key, which the scammer then uses to intercept and redirect trades. If you suspect your API key has been compromised, revoke it immediately in your Steam account settings and generate a new one.

Beware of Impersonation

Scammers impersonate platform support staff, middlemen, or community figures. Legitimate platform staff will never ask you to send items to a personal account or complete a trade outside the platform's official system. Verify staff identity through official channels.

Enable Steam Guard & Trade Confirmations

Keep Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator enabled. Always review trade confirmation prompts on your mobile device before approving. Never approve a trade you didn't initiate, and double-check item values in the confirmation dialog — scammers swap valuable items for low-value ones at the last second.

Verify Before You Cashout

When using cashout services, check the platform's reputation and payout history in our directory. Be wary of services offering significantly higher rates than market average — if it seems too good to be true, it usually is. Start with small transactions to verify reliability before larger ones.

Report Suspicious Activity

If you encounter a scam attempt, report it to the platform's support team, our directory, and relevant authorities. Sharing scam reports helps protect the community. Use our contact page to flag suspicious platforms or report phishing sites impersonating listed platforms.

Need to Report a Platform?

If you've encountered a suspicious platform or phishing site, let us know so we can investigate and protect the community.