Getting evidence & what counts as a scam?

Before submitting my report, I need to clarify some details.

Firstly, how do I get the agreement if the scam happened a long time ago? I cannot see any ways of getting the dialog from the trade window besides screencapping. The dialog in the chat windows also is getting erased from the window after some time. The mobile app lets you see a bit more of it, but it's still cut to a few sessions ago.

Secondly, is sharking considered scamming and worth reporting? I got sharked on an unusual due to my obliviosity.

ED: Bonus question - If the item in question is no longer in the hands of the scammer, will this affect anything besides the "return" factor?

If you don't have the initial chat agreement and you submit a report, chances are we can't accept the report.

Use the Forum's search function to find the answer on whether sharking is worth reporting. Use the search function before asking anything.

No. It doesn't affect the return factor either. Part of the process of the appeal is for the accused to refund all the victims with the scammed item or something that is determined to be of equal value.

I've been put in a pretty awful situation then. As we traded the items, I didn't think of it as a bad deal, and obviousy didn't screencap it. I know the guidelines are firm, but is there really no way of getting old dialogues?

Again, use the search function of the forums to find out whether sharking is considered a scam here or not.

Nope, there isn't.

What do I do then? D:

Darn it Horse Trying to guide people to the search function mentioned in the faq you wrote here.

The only thing you can do is learn from this. Do more research before conducting deals and ensure you are able to log correspondence.

Here is a suggestion from a new trader (that will probably not be doing much trading for now lol) that was personally was scammed recently.

1. If its anything other than you inviting someone to trade through steam and it being item for item, start taking pictures and record your screen.

2. I'm not saying people will be always scammers, but it seems like these days, its an overwhelming majority. ESPECIALLY from csgolounge. I've put a trade offer up and just got spammed by dozens of scammers.

Just don't trade for actual cash directly through paypal or something. Instead use OPSkins to be safe. If you are doing item for item, going to a trading community server might be safer because at least you can talk to the person with voice.

Just some tips that might help you or others

In the beginning where you said start "taking pictures and record your screen" that was actually a good suggestion/tip for a newcomer to trading but then in the end you said

that's actually a bad suggestion/tip. If the other user tries to scam you and you fall for it somehow then you can't make a proper report at SteamRep because you need screenshots of the "agreement" thru Steam chat only. Anything else like a voice call thru Steam, skype, twitter DMs, facebook, etc will be invalidated if you provide them as evidence in your report. So basically stick to Steam chat conversations only when you encounter a user that wants to trade with you.