Replacing a Steam card can be quite complicated and frustrating; however, if your card has been stolen or used without your permission and you meet specific criteria, you can call Steam support, and they should replace it for free.
Steam cards have become something akin to a currency in their own right. Many online games allow for purchases of game time, items, and other upgrades using only a Steam card as currency. These cards have also become a popular target for theft. If your Steam card has been stolen or lost, here are some avenues you can pursue to report the issue and try to get the card replaced.
Once you realize your Steam card is gone, you want to ensure that no one else can use it. If a thief has your Steam card, they can easily add the funds to their online wallet and use it. In this situation, the best thing you can do is to deactivate your card immediately.
If someone has stolen your card, it may be too late to deactivate it, as the thief may have already redeemed the funds. Follow these steps regardless in case they decide to use the card again in the future.
If a thief has used the card and redeemed all of its value, you must report the theft to Steam to acquire a new Steam card.
Steam support should replace a lost or stolen card if you report it via their self-help portal. You can find the process for reporting a lost or stolen Steam card on the company's website.
One of the most critical steps in the process is your digital proof of purchase or Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator code. You will need to provide this code to verify that you are the original purchaser of the card and still have access to your account. The second part of this process requires you to contact Steam support via an email address which you can find on this page.
If you cannot use the self-help portal or if your card was lost or stolen years ago, Steam will still replace it for free. All you need to do is call their customer support line and choose the Purchase Issue option.
It's a good idea to gather all your receipts and information about your Steam account, including email address, current balance, and date of last use, before calling. Also, note any details about your card, such as card number, where you bought it from, and the date.
Steam will replace your card for free if it's stolen or lost under the condition that you have used Steam Guard Mobile Authenticator on your account. Steam's policy regarding missing cards has recently become considerably stricter; however, it appears that this is related to hacked or compromised accounts.
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