Steam · Independent guide
Unauthorized Steam Purchase: Check It, Secure the Account, Report It
First make sure the charge is really not yours, then lock down your Steam account before anything else is spent. Report the purchase to Steam Support as the account owner, and handle the card itself with your bank. Keeping those two routes separate avoids the mistakes that make things worse.
See the four stepsWe never ask for your password, Steam Guard codes or card number. Every step happens in your own account and with your own bank.
Concept illustration, not a screenshot of the recovery process.
On this page
Steam's own pages
Steps follow Steam Support's purchase, dispute and security pages, read September 2026.
No card details, no codes
We never collect card numbers, passwords or Steam Guard codes.
Independent guide
Respawnr is not affiliated with Valve or Steam and cannot reverse any charge.
Why it helps to act today, calmly
There is no deadline on this page, but a few facts favor moving early.
- Whoever made the purchase may still be signed in and able to spend more.
- Steam says some malware waits until Steam Wallet funds are available, and may remove itself afterward.
- Steam's terms ask you to tell Valve without delay if your login may be compromised.
You don't need to rush the report or the bank call. Securing the account comes first, then Steam Support, then your bank.
Follow the four stepsFour steps for a purchase you didn't make
Check, secure, report to Steam, then call your bank; each step feeds the next.
This is for your own Steam account and your own card or payment method. If you can no longer sign in at all, start with the hacked account guide instead. No Steam account at all? In Steam Support choose "I have charges from Steam that I didn't make" > "I am not a Steam user".
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Confirm it isn't yours
Open Account Details, then View purchase history, and compare dates with any emails Steam sent you.
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Secure the account
Scan for malware, secure the linked email, change the password and sign out everywhere.
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Report it to Steam Support
At help.steampowered.com, choose "I have charges from Steam that I didn't make".
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Tell your bank about the card
Ask your bank to protect or replace the card, and mention your open Steam Support request.
Dead ends to skip, and what to do instead
These routes look faster but fail, cost more, or aren't unauthorized purchases at all.
Disputing a charge on your own Steam account before reporting it to Steam
Steam says accounts and purchases tied to a chargeback are restricted, even when the cause was fraud.
Next available step: Report to Steam Support and tell your bank at the same time; read the chargeback guide first.
Asking for a Community Market purchase to be reversed
Steam says completed Market transactions are final and not refundable.
Next available step: Secure the account and report the takeover to Steam Support.
Expecting traded or gifted items to be restored
Steam says it does not restore items that have left an account.
Next available step: See the stolen items guide for what Steam Support can still review.
Reporting a third-party key site charge to Steam as unauthorized
Steam says purchases made outside Steam are handled by the seller, not Steam.
Next available step: Contact the seller you paid, and your bank if the card was misused.
A "Steam agent" in chat offering to fix the charge
Steam says Valve staff never contact you through Steam Chat or Discord.
Next available step: Open help.steampowered.com yourself and report the chat there.
Treating a pending hold after a failed purchase as theft
Steam says it never collects a failed purchase; the bank releases the hold.
Next available step: Ask your bank when the hold drops; Steam says it can take up to 30 days.
A few details worth knowing
Will Steam refund a purchase someone else made on my account?
Steam doesn't publish a promise either way. What it does say is to contact Steam Support about charges you didn't make, and Support reviews each case with the account owner.
I don't have a Steam account, but my card shows a Steam charge. What do I do?
Steam Support has an option for this: choose the one for charges from Steam you didn't make, then the one saying you are not a Steam user. Also tell your bank the card may have been misused.
Could it be a subscription renewal or a gift?
Check both. A subscription renewal or a gift you sent earlier can look unfamiliar when the charge arrives; if it was yours, the refund rules are in our Steam refund guide.
Could the purchase have come from someone in my family?
Yes, check that first. In Steam Families a child can ask an adult to pay for their cart, so compare the purchase history with the people who share your PC before you report anything.
How do I stop it from happening again?
Keep Steam Guard on, secure the email linked to Steam, and only install games and tools from sources you trust. Our account security guide covers the full checklist.
Official guidance
Check the platform’s current instructions and the options shown for your own account.