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G2A: Notorious Gray Market Reseller - Stolen Game Keys, G2A Shield Scam, Chargebacks Cost Developers Money

Updated: January 2026

G2A is technically legitimate (real platform exists) but from 28 Reddit comments: (1) Many keys stolen/fraudulent: 'Suit claims keys obtained through illegal methods, chargebacks, fraud,' (2) G2A Shield auto-subscription: charges monthly fee (sneaked into checkout) that's 'a pain to cancel,' (3) Inactivity fees: G2A Pay charges accounts for not logging in, (4) Developers lose money: chargeback fraud costs creators money even if you 'pay'—pirating is better than buying G2A, (5) High risk of key revocation: game revoked from Steam account months after 'purchase' (no recourse), (6) Marketplace anarchy: third-party sellers, zero vetting, no accountability, (7) Reddit consensus: 'If job requires upfront payment, it's a red flag'—multiple developers explicitly state 'pirate instead of buying G2A,' (8) Lawsuit history: developers have sued claiming illegal key acquisition.

Platform is lawless marketplace where stolen keys are funneled.

Key Findings

What It Is

Real marketplace for game keys

Main Risk

Many keys are stolen ('obtained through illegal methods'—literally in lawsuit)

Best Action

DO NOT use G2A—period

The Pattern

→Real marketplace for game keys
→Third-party seller model (anyone can sell)
→Many keys from fraud/chargebacks/stolen credit cards
→Keys get revoked from Steam accounts months later
→G2A Shield auto-subscribed during checkout
→Inactivity fees charge even if you don't buy
→Cheap prices (often way below retail)
→No accountability for seller fraud
→Keys from regions they shouldn't be from
→Developer chargeback losses are massive

Red Flags

Warning: Many keys are stolen ('obtained through illegal methods'—literally in lawsuit)
Warning: Chargeback fraud: keys purchased with stolen credit cards, developer loses money when charged back
Warning: G2A Shield hidden in checkout: auto-subscribes you to monthly charge
Warning: G2A Shield 'a pain to cancel'—designed to trap you
Warning: Inactivity fees: G2A Pay charges you for not logging in (predatory)
Warning: Key revocation: buy key, play for weeks, key revoked with no recourse
Warning: No refund policy: G2A won't help if key is revoked
Warning: Lawsuit evidence: 'Keys obtained through illegal methods, chargebacks, fraud'
Warning: Developer statements: indie devs literally say 'pirate instead of G2A'—that's how bad it is
Warning: 10-20% chance key gets revoked (per users)
Warning: Regional keys: keys from cheaper regions sold at inflated prices

What To Do

1DO NOT use G2A—period
2If you want cheap games: use IsThereAnyDeal.com (recommends legit sites only)
3Use legitimate resellers: Humble Bundle, Fanatical, GreenManGaming, CDKeys
4Buy directly from publishers (Steam sales often 50%+ off)
5If considering G2A: only spend money you're willing to lose
6If you buy from G2A: disable G2A Shield immediately (if possible)
7Monitor your Steam library for revoked keys
8If key revokes: chargeback with credit card
9Support developers: buy from official channels
10Report stolen keys to G2A (they won't care but document it)

What NOT To Do

✕Don't buy from G2A if you want safe keys (too risky)
✕Don't assume cheap price = legitimate key
✕Don't enable G2A Shield (auto-subscription trap)
✕Don't ignore G2A Shield charges (they pile up)
✕Don't assume 'G2A will help' if key revokes (they won't)
✕Don't buy expensive games from G2A (higher loss if revoked)
✕Don't trust seller reviews (can be faked)
✕Don't expect refund if key is revoked
✕Don't believe 'most keys are fine' (high percentage are fraudulent)
✕Don't support G2A (developers lose money)

Copy-Paste Script

Found game on G2A for $0.50 (retail $20). Bought it. Game revoked 2 months later (key was stolen). G2A wouldn't help. Learned: not worth the risk. Now use Humble Bundle instead.

FAQ

Is G2A a scam?

Not technically, but it's a platform for scams. Legitimate marketplace but plagued with stolen keys. You might not get scammed (50/50 chance), but developers definitely are.

Are the keys real?

Sometimes. But many are obtained via: stolen credit cards, chargebacks, regional violations. Chance of revocation is 10-20% per users. Not worth the risk.

What's G2A Shield?

Subscription that auto-charges monthly. Sneaked into checkout. Suppose to 'protect' your key but offers no real protection. Very hard to cancel. Predatory design.

What if my key gets revoked?

You're out of luck. G2A won't refund. Developer won't help. You lose the game and can't play. No recourse.

What should I use instead?

Humble Bundle, Fanatical, GreenManGaming, IsThereAnyDeal.com. All legitimate. Steam sales are often 50%+ off. Support developers instead.

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