Trading with a bot is normally quick and safe, because every trade goes through Steam's own trade offer system. Still, scams exist around the edges. This guide walks through a safe trade from start to finish.
Step by step
- Pick a bot with fresh data. On a directory, look at the last updated time. A bot that pushed its rates a few minutes ago is live. One that has been silent for hours may be offline.
- Check the stock. Make sure the bot has more sets than you need. Stock changes all the time, so a bot that showed enough yesterday might be sold out today.
- Open the bot's Steam profile. Look for an old account, a real item history and a sensible name. Be wary of fresh profiles with no history that copy a famous bot's name and picture.
- Add the bot and send the command. Each bot has its own chat commands, for example to buy sets with keys. The exact commands are on its listing page. Type them yourself instead of pasting from strangers.
- Read the trade offer carefully. Steam shows exactly what you give and what you get. Check the item names, the quantities and the total. Only accept if it matches what the bot told you in chat.
- Confirm in Steam Guard. If you use mobile confirmation, you approve the trade in the Steam app. This is normal and is not a sign of a scam.
Red flags
- Anyone asking for your Steam password, Steam Guard code or login link. A real bot never needs these.
- A "bot" that sends you to another website to log in with Steam. Always check the address bar.
- Trade offers that do not match the chat message, or that include extra items you did not discuss.
- Pressure to trade fast, or an offer that is far better than every other bot's rate.
- A bot whose name and avatar are copied from a well known one, but whose profile link is different from the one on the directory.
If something goes wrong
If a trade does not arrive, check the Steam trade offers page first, because offers expire and can be cancelled. If you think a listed bot is misbehaving, tell us on the contact page with the bot's name and what happened, and we will review the listing.
Directories only list bots. Trades happen between you and the bot on Steam, so always double check each offer yourself before you accept.