Steam support regarding duplicate CD keys fresh from retailer

It's your retailers fault.

No, you probably get the key from an unauthorized seller. You should have asked help first to where you bought the key, not Steam support besides. Or, if your seller if leggit, just ask them to change the key.

They only give you the game if you have a scan of a key from a physical copy. In this case the site who sold you the key have to give you another.

Steam can't do anything about it, contact the developer / retailer instead.

this is lame.... steam saw your receipt and game they should honor it and at least.... AT LEAST, put it into investigation, and message the person who does have it activated where they got it from

It's not Steam fault in this case. You should contact the retailer, and he should give you a new one

As much as Steam customer service blows this isn't really their jurisdiction

It's not the retailer's fault (assuming the package was sealed and no way to see the key).
Steam has no say in this, considering it is a retail copy.
The devs are the ones that fsked up with the keys.
It happens. I don't remember what game it was, but several users complained about it not having the key inside the case. The page that was supposed to hold the key contained only the empty placeholder.

I feel for you.

I've had this issue in the past, and it was solved in less than an hour by emailing the developers (At the request of the retailer). They gave me a fresh key to activate. Did you try that?

Was the seal broken?Did you buy the game used?

Print the response from support and take it to the shop.

This happened to me on Origin, I got new key from EA support without questions.
Take that, Origin haters. :D

It's not steams place to replace keys. Sometimes duplicate keys are printed by accident. Go to the shop or the publisher and tell them what happened.

well, is it steam's problem that you buy keys from cheap resellers? why should they give you a key for an unauthorized reseller? (and if it was autorized then it is no problem)

The same thing happened when I bought Dead Island for my brother on a shop, but steam sent him another key. Took a while though.

I've seen this kind of crap happen before with CS anthology, people buy the game, in the coupon there is usually a 7-15 day period to bring the game back incase it doesn't work. Some smartasses used to buy steam games, activate the keys and deliver them back to the stores by showing the coupon. Perhaps the game you bought went through this?

You could always try and ask them to see if they can remove the game from the other account, you can show the key and the receipt that you bought the game and send it to them with some hope to get it on your accoutn instead. Or you can go to the retailer and explain the situation to them.

Oh look another guy whining about Steam Support while he buys keys from some shitty unknown retailer. (no legit retailer would sell used key)

Deal with it and learn to buy from proper stores next time.

My Prey retail key was duped, Steam just activated the game straight onto my account after I sent them a picture of my receipt and retail box with key. What game was it? (as in, how long ago could this key have first been used)

Sometimes retailers dish out a key to 2 people... if this happens - contact the retailer as steam cannot do anything about it.

I can't see the problem, the retailer sold you an used cd-key. Go to the shop and make a lot of noise until you get what you want.

Steam is wrong? umm OK.

happened to me with prey, but the seller sent me another copy for free which worked allright.

Uhm? wrong?
Blame the retailer from whom you bought the key, not steam..

dann kannst du eine änderung der emailadresse von dem account der das spiel hat beantragen. ich habe den fall gehabt dass die emailadresse ungültig geworden ist und ich die daher nicht ändern konnte, cd key in der packung + id des support tickets als screen und die email wurde vom support problemlos geändert. so hast du gleich einen neuen account mit mehr spielen, da hat der dieb pech gehabt :)