Valve takes measures against fake free Dragonclaw Hook scam pages

Steven Rondina Published 05/04/2019

After months of inaction, Valve is finally taking measures to combat one of Steam’s most aggressive phishing scams.

In a news post on the official Steam Community page, Valve announced that it was changing its policies regarding the Dota 2 workshop. The workshop will now require users to take an extra email verification step.

“First-time submissions to the Dota workshop will now require email verification before the item can be listed publicly,” the post reads. “For those of you that have previously submitted workshop items, you shouldn’t see any change in functionality.”

The Steam workshop is a resource for creators to distribute their content and potentially have it added to the game in an official capacity. Games like Elders Scrolls V: Skyrim have various custom items and mods available for download, while Counter-Strike: Global Offensive has maps and weapon skins.

The Dota 2 workshop can include anything from custom game modes to announcer packs, but its primary function was to offer a pathway for new skins to be added to the game. However, over recent months the Dota 2 workshop has been overwhelmed by dubious submissions that offered players supposedly free items, including the extremely rare Dragonclaw Hook. Users that attempted to capitalize on the offer ran the risk of having their accounts hijacked.

Despite these listings posing a serious security threat, Valve’s policy has been to simply have moderators manually remove reported posts. As bots made these listings more and more common, this method proved to be lacking. For over a year, fake giveaways have routinely popped up in the workshop, and in recent months the front page has at times been covered with scam posts.

The addition of that extra hurdle will ideally filter out the bulk of these illegitimate listings.

While it’s far from airtight, Valve’s aim is to filter out spammers and bots without disturbing people who use the workshop for its intended purpose.

“Our aim with this change is to reduce the potential for scams on the Steam platform, without creating unnecessary hassle for frequent Workshop creators,” Valve said.

Steven Rondina

About Steven Rondina

Steven Rondina is a true lifelong gamer. His earliest memories are of playing video games, and he has continued playing them throughout his life with no plans to stop any time soon. Steven’s favorite franchises in gaming include Pokemon, Dark Souls, and Counter-Strike. He has previously published with Bleacher Report and other gaming outlets.

View full profile

Read Also

Dota 2

Every Dota 2 International Champion in History: The Complete Winners List Ben Boland If you know a thing or two about esports, “The International” should ring a bell. TI is Dota 2’s yearly tournament and is one of the most prestigious tournament series in all of esports. It’s best known for its million-dollar prize pools, and every edition tells a different story. Below, we list all the winners of Dota 2’s The International. Every year, Valve hosts an iteration of The International, with ...

Kick

ESL FACEIT Group announces Kick partnership, here’s what we know Khizar Mundia ESL FACEIT Group and Kick have signed a partnership that will allow the platform to distribute and broadcast select official CS2 and Dota 2 tournaments. Esports broadcasting rights are an important element for major streaming platforms, as popular tournaments draw millions of viewers. The esports broadcasting network is substantially fragmented as no one platform holds exclusive rights for major tournaments. Kick has been trying to get into the esports scene ...

Dota 2

Best Dota 2 Players in 2026 Owen Harsono In 2026, pro Dota 2 players are on another level, with a bunch of them even passing 17,000 MMR. However, not all of them can prove themselves on the big stage. Below we have ranked the top 10 best Dota 2 players in 2026 who have championship qualities. We have ranked the top 10 Dota 2 players in the world right now. We primarily considered individual skill and overall contribution ...

Dota 2

Best Dota 2 Teams in 2026 Owen Harsono We're currently in one of the most competitive eras in Dota 2, as many teams have the potential to win an event. But, even though the playing field is very even right now, some squads still manage to win out more often than others. Below are the top 10 best Dota 2 teams this year, including details on their recent successes and any question marks that remain. NAVI went for ...

Dota 2

Dota 2 Rich List 2026: Top 10 Richest Dota Pro Players Conn Mc Gillion Dota 2 has fast become one of the most lucrative esports in terms of prize money. It may not have as many viewers as League of Legends or even CS2, but all top-tier tournaments have a prize pool of over $1,000,000. As you will see, this means that the top 10 richest Dota 2 Players have managed to earn some serious winnings. This article will dive deep into the top ...

Dota 2

ESL One Birmingham 2026 Outright Odds and Teams Analysis Owen Harsono ESL One Birmingham 2026 is right around the corner, and it’ll be the first arena Dota 2 tournament in 2026. The previous tournaments this year were mostly played online or in studios, so this will feel a little different. These are the best Dota 2 teams to look out for at this event. Popular esports betting sites have these top three Dota teams coming into this event as clear favorites: ...

Esports Betting

Team Liquid vs BetBoom Team: PGL Wallachia Season 7 Predictions Owen Harsono Team Liquid will take on the BetBoom Team in the lower bracket final of PGL Wallachia Season 7. The winner will book a date with Team Yandex in the grand final and contend for the trophy. Here are our PGL Wallachia S7 Team Liquid vs BetBoom Team predictions. Tournament: PGL Wallachia Season 7 Stage: Lower Bracket Final Game: Dota 2 Format: Best of 3 Betting tip: Team Liquid have not ...