You have all probably seen this group "network" at some point. They send out invites to everyone. They giveaway bundle games here in mass quantities as part of their recruitment. They also advertise giving away AAA titles to whoever invites the most people to their groups. Sadly those giveaways are rigged, as they are not done on SteamGifts, but rather in his group's forum, and no winners are chosen truly at random as the system here allows.

But that's not what I'm here to tell you about.

First, let me show you exactly what I am talking about, in case you are unfamiliar with the OTG Network.

Original Traders Group
Original Curators Group
Original Giveaway Group
German Giveaway Community
Original Society Club
Duck Society

The above 6 groups are what's known as the 'Original Network'. It originally started as just the top group. It's recently expanded unnecessarily into the other groups. You can do everything the 4 groups do with one group, after all. The groups are also all populated by the same people, so don't let the numbers fool you. The Original Society Club is for the most loyal of his followers, where he supposedly does non-bundle game giveaways. Duck Society is...I don't even.

They are all run by a lovely fellow named SalzStange. His username here on SteamGifts is AngryErpel.
Confirmed with SteamGifts Support that this is not calling out..

SalzStange was recently outted on Twitter for trying to blackmail a developer for a free Steam Key. This kind of activity has been known to occur in this "network" but was covered up by his loyalists. When things like this happened in the past, or someone wrote a negative review for a game SalzStange obtained keys for, he would ask his loyalists to downrate the hell out of the review, which they sadly did. According to other 'victims', his loyalists were also asked to harass people that did not agree with SalzStange's methods or people who called him out on his bullshit. It's safe to say some are blindly following him in the hopes of free games. This is, of course, unacceptable, and since this was brought public, some of his loyalists left the group. Namely a few (most) of his admins and even a co-founder. He now has a new set of followers and Admins/Mods, and they are still up to the same routine.

SalzStange thinks giving away games is charity, and refers to his groups as "the biggest charity groups on Steam".
Charity is helping people who are less fortunate (IE Homeless, starving, etc), donating clothes and food to homeless people, or volunteering at a shelter....things of that nature. Not giving away games to privileged people on SteamGifts. He lists hundreds of giveaways for bundle games and games he's received from devs here on SteamGifts. The bundle games he asks members to donate to him so he can give them away here or in his group's chat (this has been confirmed by many former members). Either way, he is unfairly benefiting from contributor value here on SteamGifts because of this. He is currently a LV 9 contributor here on SteamGifts.

There is a reddit thread where a lot of people have come forward to share their experiences with SalzStange and his groups. and there is also a NEOGAF thread.

Proof, evidence, chatlogs, examples of his behavior and other things.
Take a look at these and find out for yourself what kind of person SalzStange is. Don't listen to his long-winded excuses or lies he's posted here and elsewhere.

2706 line OTG Group Chat Log
Full email conversation - This is the 'unedited' screenshot SalzStange provided that he claims absolves him of all accusations. It, in fact, makes him look worse.
My experience with SalzStange and his group
Chat harassment
SalzStange's SteamRep Report
SalzStange's "apology" to the dev he blackmailed
SalzStange thinks there's no proof
Valve is at least aware of this situation
SalzStange thinks those "against" him are all trolls
SalzStange denies allegations concerning his rigged giveaways, which were already confirmed as true
SalzStange's official statement after he was caught
Former Mod's response to his 'official statement'
SalzStange's post history on the Steam forums. A great example of his attitude and how he talks to developers
OTG Head Admin is okay with SalzStange's actions.
SalzStange has been permanently banned from SteamCompanion.
SalzStange calls those who caught him and spread awareness of his lies 'troll' and 'haters'..
SteamCompanion Group Chatlog where SalzStange was invited to discuss his ban

If you are still a part of this "network" I advise you all to leave to avoid being dragged down with him. It will happen eventually. WGN got shut down for doing less than this.

If you would like to combat this network and it's practices, there are a number of things you can do.
If you are a member of any of their groups, or any of the groups that SalzStange associates with (Such as Hookups where he is an Admin), simply leave them. You can also share this thread with people on your friendslists who are members of these groups and advise them to leave as well.

TL;DR:

SalzStange threatened a dev, got caught, and is still trying to lie and cover up the facts, acting like he did nothing wrong.

He claims to be an adult, but is refusing to own up to his actions. Everything we do in life has consequences. It's time he faces them.

View attached image.
8 years ago*

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That was fun to read. Here, have a bump.

8 years ago
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Thanks for the heads up, not something I want to be involved with..

8 years ago
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I hope it was not me who started opening people's eyes about SalzStange aka Backstabber aka Duckface aka Duckhead , because this was going on for a while now and i'm glad people are standing up for themselves!

8 years ago
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I have known about it for some weeks plus the actions he did to me and one of my friends (wrote about it earlier in this thread). Made a topic about it and quite a lot of my friends were surprised and left the groups. =) So great this is getting more awareness! About time!

8 years ago
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I told my friends back when my first experience happened, but I suspect others did not want any backlash from coming forward. Now that it's public and all over the internet, more and more are stepping forward and sharing the bullshit they had to deal with.

8 years ago
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That is usually how corruption is allowed to flourish. and ultimately how it is stopped. When one voice is formed from many, or when someone's foot is inserted into their mouth and they cannot back down from it.

8 years ago
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Anyone else find it ironic that DuckFace is an Administrator at Hookups?

http://www.steamgifts.com/discussion/9IJ1b/drama-at-hookups

8 years ago*
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i'm not surprised

8 years ago
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I had an offer from Hookups owner not long ago to be an officer on his group, unfortunately i had to decline that offer when i've seen that SalzStange is also an officer there (reason: i don't work with this kind of people).

8 years ago
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I noticed aswell.. -.- Quite ironic indeed, lol!

8 years ago
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why am I not surprised. Scumbags of a feather seem to flock together. It's depressing hearing about stuff like this and how some groups are sometimes used for these nefarious and exploitative/abusive purposes. I've learned not to trust any of them. And if anyone wants to know why I am cynical bastard sometimes it's because of shit like this and everything else that one sees on a daily basis, and not just on the internet but in 'real life' too. Some people can really disgust you sometimes and make quite pathetic excuses for human beings. Scumbag Sammy easily being one of the worst pieces of shit I have ever seen in my life. I really do hope that a meteor falls out of the sky and strikes him down one day.

8 years ago*
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8 years ago
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I am in the group chat right now,its freaking hilarious :D

8 years ago
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Hadn't heard of this until now, but this whole thread's been an interesting read, to say the least.

View attached image.
8 years ago
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That's exactly my reaction right now!
Not sure about who is in the clear right or wrong.

8 years ago
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http://prntscr.com/7crjq8 -- From the reddit thread, pretty important bit of information.

8 years ago
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How would they rig the giveaways?

8 years ago
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Whoever does the most positive reviews, from what I'm gathering about this group's 'rules'.

8 years ago
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8 years ago
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Thanks for that, at least I know I'm not missing out on any giveaways now since I was apparently never in the running in the first place!

8 years ago
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That's even worse.

8 years ago
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As much as I hate drama-queen-threads due to the fact that I too often get too excited, I'm loving this thread. It's like a movie night event for Steam Gifts.

8 years ago
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Thx for this thread - turns out I was in all of those groups

8 years ago
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You can do everything the 4 groups do with one group, after all

They claim that they made three other groups because they do so many giveaways that they didn't want to spam peoples activity feeds with announcements from one group. So you get announcements from one group telling you to go to another group, but that group does an announcement anyway. I just ignore their announcements and see what giveaways they have through Steamgifts.

If they are hassling developers for codes I might leave though, it seems kind of shitty to do that just so you can do a giveaway.

8 years ago
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I got banned for harassment for asking why they were doing a GIVEAWAY, in a TRADING group, but spamming the announcement in ALL their groups leading them to the GIVEAWAY at the TRADING group. It's a complete mess... Literally just an excuse to spam people.

8 years ago
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That is some genuinely loathsome and unethical practices, all in the name of greed. For my part, what scant interaction I had with DuckHead was entirely civil; I regret seeing this rather tawdry side of his operation and have left the groups as a result. "Popcorn" jokes aside, this kind of thing should not be tolerated.

EDIT: Having read further into the matter, particularly as regards the "rigging" of giveaways: I hope he's banned. Not just from Steam, but from SteamGifts and the community at large. This sort of despicable behavior casts a pall on all giveaway groups and leads to suspicion against otherwise generous, altruistic people. You should be ashamed... DuckHead.

8 years ago*
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Wow... just wow. Thanks for exposing this.

8 years ago
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this is going far behind what duck could imagine

8 years ago
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Whelp, thanks for the heads up. It's sad to see this kind of stuff going on. :/

8 years ago
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Sad, but amusing.

8 years ago
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bump for the interesting post

8 years ago
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i think this guy got a little "overwhelmed" by all this....
i remember there was another "german,invite only group" where he did a post accusing that the "idea is stolen" etc

8 years ago
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Wow...reported the user, hopefully Steam does something.

8 years ago
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Ist ja richtig mies. Der gehört wegen Erpressung angezeigt und die Gruppen dichtgemacht..

8 years ago
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GOD DAMN IT I LIKED THE COMMUNITY! UGH!

8 years ago
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Thanks for the info! I left all groups because I work for a legitimate video game site and we do legitimate reviews, I definitely can't be associated with people like that!

8 years ago
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Did that as I think I've seen him in some other key incidents being particularly insistent. Such stuff is why developers don't give keys to desura/bundle owners. It's bad even by most giveway group standards (which seem to push inviting people, repeat)

Pardon the pun, but it's pretty foul play.

8 years ago
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Just something extra about who's harassing who...he entered a group chat just to say:
See pictures:
http://prntscr.com/7ctjt2
http://prntscr.com/7ctk1d
http://prntscr.com/7ctkhd
http://prntscr.com/7ctkty
i also had this created because quite many members asked me why i'm not a moderator on OGG anymore for people who will like to know the truth about what really happened click link
http://steamcommunity.com/groups/allstarsgiveaways/discussions/3/620712364041830590/
@SalzStange

  1. i did not add any of those moderators, they added me.
  2. i only got kicked out of 1+4 groups that you own and yes i know it was because of you and your lies.
  3. you made 6000 giveaways? it was all from blackmail devs or you actually bought some games with your own money?
8 years ago*
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Don't know if it's just me but the picture links take me to the photobox.co.uk frontpage.

8 years ago
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i just re:uploaded them, thanks.

8 years ago
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How he is always lying to cover up, and his rash decisions.. His mom did a poor job raising him! :S

8 years ago
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The great exodus begins

8 years ago
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8 years ago
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Heh I see my name there.

8 years ago
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Glad to know I'm not the only one. Hopefully this sinks in with the admins.

8 years ago
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Closed 5 years ago by Khalaq.