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You have probably heard of G2A by now, the grey-market where anyone can sell second-hand keys for some money. The problem is, someone pointed out how they do no actual checks on keys and that resulted in them getting banned.

This was then pointed out on the linux_gaming reddit (source), but a g2a rep has tried to clarify it, rather badly, see below:
image
I'm glad I took a screengrab of it as they have since deleted their post, in an obvious attempt to cover it all up.

The story goes even further! The person who actually did these tests posted here where they explained it further. It seems they found the reddit post from G2A in the linux_gaming reddit, where I did the screencapture from, claiming that they were talking to the seller, but the seller claims G2A were not and now G2A have removed their post.

Then there's the 12 step process to turn off "G2A Shield" see here.

I will say it again, I highly suggest staying away from G2A. Shady, shady store.

Steam, itch.io, GOG and Humble do sales all the time. I really don't get the need to use G2A, considering how many times issues have arisen from their store. When will people wake up? Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Tags: Editorial
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I use G2A for to buy Steam Wallet codes for my steam Linux account ...
Because, You know, If you don't spend at least 5 U$D per year, Steam limit your account and you can not even add friends.
Liam Dawe Feb 2, 2017
Quoting: Comandante ÑoñardoI use G2A for to buy Steam Wallet codes for my steam Linux account ...
Because, You know, If you don't spend at least 5 U$D per year, Steam limit your account and you can not even add friends.
No, they don't. That's the limit on a Steam account at the start.
Mountain Man Feb 2, 2017
Quoting: Comandante ÑoñardoI use G2A for to buy Steam Wallet codes for my steam Linux account ...
Because, You know, If you don't spend at least 5 U$D per year, Steam limit your account and you can not even add friends.
That's bull.
badber Feb 2, 2017
I still don't think these kind of sites are an inherently bad idea but the way G2A has handled this has convinced me this is a Shady outfit and it would be better if it didn't exist.
TheRiddick Feb 2, 2017
G2A just doesn't have much regulation, the most they have is that Shield nonsense, which only protects the buyer and not the publisher/developer.
Quoting: liamdawe
Quoting: Comandante ÑoñardoI use G2A for to buy Steam Wallet codes for my steam Linux account ...
Because, You know, If you don't spend at least 5 U$D per year, Steam limit your account and you can not even add friends.
No, they don't. That's the limit on a Steam account at the start.

Even if you are right, there is another problem: You can not use the same credit card or paypal account on two or more steam accounts... I asked that to the steam support. :(

So..Steam wallet codes are the way to go when you manage more than two Steam accounts like me...

Thanks to G2A and their payments processors (PayU), any argentinian gamer without an international credit card can buy steam wallet codes or steam, Uplay or Origin keys and pay them with argentinian pe$os cash on a Mercadopago agent.. :)

That is something that Steam, Humble, Greenman, GOG, etc will NEVER NEVER NEVER do because, unlike G2A, they don't understand how the real economy works outside their bubble...

I respect G2A (and I buy steam wallet codes there two or three times per year) because they accept my cheapest currency... ^_^
sr_ls_boy Feb 3, 2017
QuoteYou can not use the same credit card or paypal account on two or more steam accounts... I asked that to the steam support.
That's not true. I have two steam accounts and I use the same debit card for both.


Last edited by sr_ls_boy on 3 February 2017 at 2:33 am UTC
RussianNeuroMancer Feb 3, 2017
Quoting: Comandante ÑoñardoThat is something that Steam, Humble, Greenman, GOG, etc will NEVER NEVER NEVER do because, unlike G2A, they don't understand how the real economy works outside their bubble...
Actually you can pay on Steam and GOG with Yandex.Wallet or QIWI Wallet (Russian electronic cash wallets) and you can pay with Bitcoin on Humble Store. So they do support local payment methods besides usual VISA/MasterCard/PayPal, but probably not for all countries.
ivant Feb 3, 2017
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Quoting: liamdawe
Quoting: wolfyrionI dont know what the heck is going on but THERE IS NO WAY TO CHECK FOR VALID STEAM KEYS!!!
If they have no way to verify, then they shouldn't be selling them. I don't see why this is hard to fathom.
That part is actually explained by the answer in Reddit. When you buy a key they hold on the payment to the seller for some time. If you complain that the key is not valid during this time, they can return you the money and the seller doesn't get paid.

It's not obvious what happens if you complain after that period. Also how do they deal with cheating bytes? That is, I buy the key, get the game and then say it's fake.
Guppy Feb 3, 2017
Quoting: Comandante ÑoñardoI use G2A for to buy Steam Wallet codes for my steam Linux account ...
Because, You know, If you don't spend at least 5 U$D per year, Steam limit your account and you can not even add friends.

False - the 5 {local currency} is a ONE TIME thing to stop spammers

Quoting: Comandante ÑoñardoEven if you are right, there is another problem: You can not use the same credit card or paypal account on two or more steam accounts... I asked that to the steam support. :(

False - I am using the same paypal on both my own and my sons account.


But even if that were somehow the case you can create an endless supply of paypal accounts with the same credit card, so stop making excuses and spreading misinformation
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