Steam Trading 101
Steam is a popular PC Gaming platform - http://store.steampowered.com/
It has a large selection of games, a huge community of gamers and a unique feature of in-game items being able to be bought, sold and traded among the community.
Some games (TF2, CSGO, PUGB, etc) have in-game items (weapons skins, cosmetic items) that are dropped during game play. Some games have Trading Cards that drop. All these items live in your inventory and can be bought and sold on the http://steamcommunity.com/market/.
However over the life of the steam market and the new economy that evolved, some items (Case Keys and Skins) have become popular for gambling and off-site trading, giving them real world value. People buy, sell and trade Keys and Skins for fiat and bitcoin. However in any economy where an item has any value; either in-game or real world. There will be scammers.
Scammers prey on the ill-informed and those who do not wish to research before trading.
Here is a simple guide to staying safe when trading Steam Items.
Getting Started:
You need a premium Steam account to trade - this requires spending $5 or more per year in the steam store. This keeps an account active and cuts back on spammer accounts
You can purchase items in the store with your steam wallet, so sell some cards and buy something cheap
1b. It is recommend to have a Premium TF2 http://store.steampowered.com/app/440/Team_Fortress_2/ Account - this can be done buy purchasing any item in the in-game store
1c. 2FA - always protect your account https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=8625-wrah-9030Basic TF2 & CSGO Trading prices can be found here: http://backpack.tf/ Use it wisely as it is a guide not a law.
2.a. Use the steam market to verify prices, check the trends (graph) to see how stable the item is. Steam market is best for price checking marketable items.
2.b. Using more than 1 pricing guide will give you a better idea of the items value.
2.c. The steam market prices for TF2 & CSGO are generally higher than what backpack.tf shows, consider this (backpack will show the market price to ref conversion of the item)RTFM (Read The F***ing Manual) - there are many good resources to make you a good player, trader and TF2/CSGO community member, it never hurts to ask, but it never hurts to look things up on your own and take responsibility for your actions
Go Slow, think before you trade.
Swearing, insulting and using all caps makes you look and sound like a spoiled child, no one wants to trade with a jerk. Don't be a jerk.
Trading takes an investment, that investment will either be time or money when you first start out. If you have nothing (no premium steam/tf2, low level sad profile) then you might want to consider throwing $5-$10 onto steam and fixing that. No one wants to hear a sad story about how you need charity for video games because you are poor.
6.a. If you have premium but a low, unused profile then buy a few cheap games and get those card drops from them.
6.b. Craft a few badges, a level 10+ profile is going to yield less skepticism as it shows you invested in to steam and your account isn't a throwaway.
6.c. If you just need some items to get started in TF2 trading - Play the game - Have Fun. Really, trying to sell the first drop you get for a scrap will get you no where fast, play and build up a little inventory.Trading is not instant, patience is key. If you are patient you will get better trades, if you want fast trades then consider quickselling. Greed leads to quickselling.
If you want fast profit, sell on the steam market, the cheaper you list the faster it sells, remember steam takes a cut.Fun and Happiness. Remember to have fun, don't let trading take over, play games, go outside, hang with friends.
RTFM
Steam Trading Policy:
https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=9958-MJDG-3003
Steam Trade Scam FAQ
https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=3415-WAFH-6433&l=english
Whos adding me and why? Well, could be legit, could be a bot. Did they post they they where going to add you before doing so? Do you want adds and does your trade specify how people should get a hold of you? Answer these questions before accepting adds
Check the players rep in:
http://steamrep.com/
Rep.tf
steamgifts.com
Profile rep means Very Little, same with rep on csgo lounge or outpost - many scammers and sharks will trade +rep for +rep on profiles and sites to scam and shark noobs who think they are trading with legitimate repped traders.
Beware the low and unused profile - if they don't put time and energy into their profile question trading with them - Same goes with private profiles and private inventories, what do they have to hide?
Remember: This is a FREE MARKET
That means you can charge whatever you want, but it doesn't mean people have to pay it.
You can decide how much you are willing to pay for something, but it doesn't mean people have to sell it to you for that price.
Your Profile and how it affects trading:
People will check your profile when trading and how it looks is important. First impressions and all that.
Your profile should always bee 100% public if you want to trade. You should have nothing to hide. (most trade sites won't let you trade with a private profile - this includes 'friends only' and 'users online' - make it public all the time)
People want to trade with real people, real steam users, on their real accounts. Traders are skeptical of 'alt' or 'throw-a-way' accounts. Make your profile your own.
A level 10 or higher profile is recommended, you can customize it more and add more features. It is worth it to spend some time/money on your profile, get some badges you like, join (good) groups, show off your games.
Your name and avatar:
You want to stand out, you don't want to have a generic profile thats unoriginal, overused and easy to copy. Your trade profile speaks alot of what kind of trader you are. It's public and people will see it and judge it (don't cry about being judged, its just a part of life)
Pick wisely - some forums and chat rooms will ban you if you have a (stupid) name that are offensive, full of swears or sexual content. Kids trade too, don't pick a username they can't say in front of their mother.
Remember those bots I mentioned, [Trade Knife] or CSGO#Winner[Bot] are bad names, these are names scammers and bots have. Pick something fun, original and easy. You don't want the same username that 100 other people have.
Your avatar should be simple, try not to choose an overused one. That one dog avatar, cute yes, but every third person has it, stand out a bit. Make your own avatar or use google.
Don't use swimsuit models, random girls facebook photos, csgo knives or any other avatar commonly used by phishers and scammers
Are you a girl?
If no - then do not pretend to be one
If yes - it's not important and no one cares
Having an "OMG I'm Such a Girl" profile will cause more trouble than anything
Trade Offers vs Live
Trade offers are a great thing, this limits having to add people and get random adds from people. Using trade offers makes trading nice and easy.
Some people may still want to "discuss" the trade, be cautious, most scams will happen via chat - go slow, think, do not be pressured. You are not Obligated to agree to their offer and you have every right to end the chat and remove them if they push or become abusive.
A trade should be satisfactory for both parties.
Make sure people comment on your post or profile why they are adding you - if the trade is cut and dry they should be using trade offers, especially if you are not open to negotiation. Make sure you check their profile before you accept, check them on steam trades and steam rep. If they do not post a good reason why they are adding you - ignore it.
Remember if you live trade you still need to review and accept via steam mobile.