Trading skins for Counter-Strike 2 can be a profitable venture, but traders need to stay alert to avoid falling prey to scammers. The most dangerous type of scam is the API scam. CS.MONEY Blog explains what this is, how scammers use it to steal skins from inventories, and what you can do to protect yourself.
By the way, CS.MONEY provides comfortable and secure trading. Quick deals, great prices, and no scams!
What is an API?
API, simply put, is an interface that allows programs to communicate with each other. Without getting too technical, the main thing you need to know is that each Steam account can be issued its own API key. Third-party services can use this key to access inventory and trade items. The good news: by default, accounts don’t have this key. The bad news: if a scammer gains access to your account even for a few minutes, they can create this key, gain access to your inventory, send fake trade offers, and do other harmful actions.
How Do API Scams Work?
API scams operate in three stages, and it’s essential to remember that this scam is not limited to CS.MONEY. If a scammer gains access to your key, they may use various methods to steal skins. Here’s how an API scam typically works:
- Gain access to your account or API key.
- Wait for a trade and replace it with a fake one.
- Cover their tracks.
Let’s break down each step.
Step 1: Scammers usually gain account access through phishing sites, often by using a fake Steam login window. These phishing sites mimic the real ones, making them easy to confuse. When you try to log in, the scammer receives the Steam Guard code, logs into your account, and creates an API key. This is the first step.
Step 2: Trade and substitution. Scammers are crafty and track only high-value trades. At the moment a trade is created, the scammer intercepts it and sends a fake offer. It will look like the original, but with one critical difference: if accepted, you get nothing, and your skins go to the scammer’s inventory. This is the second step.
Step 3: Hiding their tracks. After executing the scam, scammers delete the API key, change the account name involved in the trade to unreadable or hidden symbols, and vanish with the stolen items. This is the third and final step.
How to Protect Yourself from API Scams
Start with the golden rule: don’t rush and stay calm. Verify each trade offer carefully, accepting only when you’re sure everything is correct. Rushing can lead to mistakes, which is what scammers rely on. Beyond the basics, here are more specific steps you can take:
- Check your API key right now. You can find it here: https://steamcommunity.com/dev/apikey. If you didn’t create a key and one is present, revoke it immediately and start changing your passwords.
- Be careful about the sites you visit. Phishing sites often use similar URLs. Double-check the addresses of sites you visit. To be safer, bookmark cs.money and always navigate to the site from there.
- Examine trade offers. When using Trade, check the bot’s profile. All our bots are level 20 or higher on Steam, have a filled-out profile, and haven’t been online for over a year. If something looks off, stop and contact CS.MONEY support. When trading on Market, pay attention to the buyer’s SteamID and registration date. If you have any doubts, reach out to us in the support chat and request a direct link to the buyer’s profile for a safer transaction.
API scams, like other forms of fraud, rely on inattention or haste. Never rush to complete trades and always double-check whom you’re sending skins to.
Conclusion: how to avoid API scammers
API scams are stealthy and, therefore, very dangerous. Always double-check trade offers, trade only on trusted sites, and monitor your API key regularly. If you’re ever in doubt, reach out to our support team to confirm transaction safety. Trading skins can be safe, profitable, and enjoyable—provided you take the proper precautions.
Four Main Safety Rules
- Fake bots can’t copy Steam level, groups, etc. They’re above 20 LVL, all on our official Steam Group.
- Don’t use any phone apps that farm Steam cards, browser extensions, cheats, etc.
- Do not log in to sites for which unknown people send links to you on Steam.
- To access our site type the address cs.money with your hands in the browser bar. It’s that easy.
Good luck and be careful out there!
