Steam Support bans my account for gifting European users games at the US prices.

[Kouen Hasuki]

Before we get started, This isnt my account personally its just something that popped up somewhere and thought it was quite interesting to share and discuss here

A little introduction. During the Christmas sales of 2010, I gifted many non-American users Steam games at the American prices (Steam prices in USD for most games is a lot cheaper than the EUR/GBP price). The non-US person Paypal's me X USD (X = the price of the game in USD), and I gift them the game. I did with around 20 people or so. Everyone is happy; the non-US player saves money, and Valve/the publisher is still getting paid for the game. I guess Valve wasn't so happy, however...

Has this ever happened to anyone here who helped European gamers save some cash by gifting them the games for cheaper? I am mainly surprised since I see nothing about it in their ToS, etc. (though I may have missed it). Valve and the publishers are technically not losing anything. Based on my account being banned, do you think the prices are just raised for non-US "because they can"? If it was due to currency conversion, why would they ban me? Just some food for thought...

Edit: just to confirm, I am banned (account 100% disabled). It was not a warning. The image is a reply of my "ban appeal" via Steam Support.

Now to me this sounds off he must have been gifting like like $1000's or something stupid maybe that would even flag of credit card company's like someone stole the card, I've gifted oversea's people games before from EU to US and AUS.

[Lee]

Yeah, I've gifted people in the UK games before.

I've also gotten gifts from people in the UK.

Must have been transferring $1,000's

[Kurtiz]

That's bull, guess there was a lot of games with discounts. could have been from that last holiday thing going on with all those games for uber low prices

[luffy4]

steam is stupid anyway, i will NOT under ANY circumstance pay for data, if i buy something it HAS to have a physical disc or source of media

besides, this PROVES they're idiots, banning someone for sending gifts? wtf

[Kouen Hasuki]

steam is stupid anyway, i will NOT under ANY circumstance pay for data, if i buy something it HAS to have a physical disc or source of media

besides, this PROVES they're idiots, banning someone for sending gifts? wtf

Ya but its not been stated the volume of the gifts, if it it was like 20 games per person for 20 people ya know that's quite suspect

[Lee]

steam is stupid anyway, i will NOT under ANY circumstance pay for data, if i buy something it HAS to have a physical disc or source of media

besides, this PROVES they're idiots, banning someone for sending gifts? wtf

I'll only say this about physical CD's.

I've bought Diablo 2, six separate times.

[luffy4]

...what is your point? also gifts are gifts, he wasnt doing anything illeagle and i think he has legal right to sue