A lot of freak outs where from people who actually traded their games and got banned.
Not to get flagged as trader, you should be fine if you give away keys not gift links. Gift links can be traced where they go, so they can see that those are activated by random people around the world. Keys cant be tracked and if you happen to have a problem, you could just say you where having a problem and get it fixed.
Last time I had problem with HB was with gift link. Wrote to support that friend is having a problem, so they just resent the key and there where no problems.
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HB can track what email/accounts the gift-links get sent from and redeemed on.
If you're trading using gift-links, you run the risk of being marked a trader, especially if you deal with other people who trade lots (plus you don't know what accounts these get redeemed on, or if the trader re-trades them).
And yes, people have had their accounts suspended for this. Most reports suggest that they all got their accounts back after dealing with HB support. As recommended by others, deal in keys, rather than links.
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Mostly from what I remember, using steamgifts isn't allowed by HB support as well. Because they consider this a part of trading as well (you trade points for the game and gifter recieves CV). So mostly people where getting banned without explenation and support refused to hear them out. And when they did hear them out they simply received generic messages about trading.
I don't know whats the situation now - maybe something has changed (as Mayanaise said, but I personally haven't heard about that). But people just realised it's easier to gift keys instead if gift links not to risk getting banned by some automated system that flags people for trading.
At the time there where several guesses as to what made them ban people - one was that people who where gifting here sent a gift link to known trader. So you got automatically marked as one as well.
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Don't take my word for it, though.
As I said - last time there was ruckus about this - someone apparently contacted them trying to explain how SG works. And in return he got answer that SG is sort of trading. Things may have changed or maybe they misunderstood whats this all about. All I got out of it is that it's better to simply use keys and not risk it.
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Only use keys, never gift links. HB really hates people that regularly use gift links.
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Others above have already mentioned about using keys over gift-links which is sound advice. On a separate note, makes sure the key you give away matches your region if they are region restricted or the restrictions stated by HB to avoid rerolls or deletion of giveaways. My other useful advice is to check the relevant thread on SG to match the giveaways you make. Quite often there is very useful information about where you can give you key away based on your set region. Thank Sensualshakti for her wonderful work with the monthly threads. Since using them, i rarely have issues with region restrictions and so forth.
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Only multiaccounters, resellers and big traders got catched as far as i seen NONE of the ones that cried around were innocent.
So don't sell keys at ebay, reddit and so on, don't trade gift links with people that aren't your close friends (that don't trade a lot) and all should be fine.
As additional safety use keys at sg.
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It's all anecdotal reporting anyway, so I'll throw in my $0.02 by saying I've now given away hundreds of HB keys, most of them as gift links, all either in level 0 GAs or just dropped as links in chat somewhere (the latter especially for region-locked keys), over a period of 7 years, and I still have my account. On the flip side, I have no alts and I've never traded or sold anything (aside from Steam items, that is). Make of it what you will.
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No issues still. I dropped some more links just yesterday, three of them region locked. Whatever flags HB might be using to trip accounts aren't tripping mine. And it's not like I'm one of their most loyal customers, either -- I skip most months. :P
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Hey!
I remember at some point there was a panic about people having problems with HB when they make GAs with their leftovers. So what would be the safest way one could give their bundle leftovers away without any risks? Don't really want to risk something happening to my account. But I still want to provide those games to people who want to play them.
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