Valve is ending sales of physical Steam gift cards, citing ongoing abuse by scammers. Multiple outlets report that Valve has decided to discontinue these cards after bad actors continued to exploit them in fraudulent schemes, despite existing safeguards. The company has previously warned retailers and customers about risks, and it introduced measures intended to reduce fraud, including restrictions and anti-scam steps. However, scammers allegedly kept finding ways to misuse physical cards to trick people into handing over money or access.
Steam gift cards have long been a common method for adding funds to a Steam Wallet, with customers purchasing cards in different denominations and then redeeming the value in the Steam store. With the physical cards being phased out, the change affects how people can add funds using in-person retail purchases.
Both reports frame the decision as a response to persistent fraud rather than a change in Steam’s broader ability to accept wallet funding. The move reflects Valve’s effort to limit avenues that scammers can target using physical gift card distribution.
