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{{Incomplete|Issue 1=limited to a single primary source (Sentinels of the Store); no mainstream coverage exists}}
<!-- NOTE: This article's title violates anti-slop Rule 16 (narrative/clickbait heading). A rename to "Click Adventure Steam wallet drain" or similar is recommended but cannot be done through revision alone. -->
{{#seo:
|description=Click Adventure, a fake Steam game by Folso Dev, was used to launder stolen wallet funds from pre-compromised accounts through marketplace transactions.
}}
{{IncidentCargo
{{IncidentCargo
|Company=Valve
|Company=Valve
|Status=Active
|StartDate=2025-08-06
|EndDate=2025-09-12
|Status=Resolved
|ProductLine=Steam
|ProductLine=Steam
|Product=Steam
|ArticleType=Service
|ArticleType=Service
|Type=Scam, Security
|Type=Scam,Security
|Description=The Click Adventure controversy involves the Steam game Click Adventure compromising users' accounts to execute unauthorized transactions.
|Description=Fake Steam game used to launder stolen wallet funds from ~25 pre-compromised accounts; Valve refused refunds
}}In mid-2025, a game named ''Click Adventure'', published by “Folso Dev.” on Steam, was found to have facilitated unauthorized withdrawals from users’ [https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/78E3-7431-1E88-AD59 Steam Wallets] via the Steam Community Marketplace. Players reported wallet funds disappearing after transactions of worthless items, despite having security features enabled. The game was eventually removed from Steam, but many victims have not received refunds. This case has raised concerns about gaps in Steam’s marketplace and account security. Steam, in response, has responded saying that Community Mark transactions are not possible to reverse despite the developer having already been banned from the platform by the time the refunds were sought.
}}
'''Click Adventure''' was a fake [[Steam]] game used to drain wallet funds from pre-compromised user accounts through the Steam Community Marketplace. Published by "Folso Dev" on August 6, 2025, the game served as a vehicle for laundering stolen funds; around 25 users reported unauthorized transactions totaling roughly $830 before [[Valve]] removed the game on September 12, 2025.<ref name="sots">{{Cite web |author=Mellow_Online1 |date=2025-09-18 |title=Click Adventure: How a Banned Steam Game Drained Wallets and Dodged Steam Security |url=https://steamcommunity.com/groups/Sentinels_of_the_Store/announcements/detail/534361794856092966 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260111120725/https://steamcommunity.com/groups/Sentinels_of_the_Store/announcements/detail/534361794856092966 |archive-date=11 January 2026 |website=Steam Community}}</ref> Valve denied all refund requests from affected users.<ref name="sots" /><ref name="valve-response">{{Cite web |author=Valve |title=Steam Support response to Click Adventure victim |url=https://imgur.com/a/zzFSHgU |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250922113522/https://imgur.com/a/zzFSHgU |archive-date=22 September 2025 |website=Imgur}}</ref>


==Background==
== Background ==
The Click Adventure wallet drain controversy involves the Steam game Click Adventure compromising users' accounts to execute unauthorized Steam Community Marketplace transactions for in-game inventory items, draining Steam wallets without triggering Steam Guard alerts. Secondly, it covers the suspicious nature of the game's developer and Valve's removal of the game without providing refunds or compensation to affected users. The incident involves money laundering, bot networks, stolen accounts, and fake marketplace items.


==Unauthorized transactions without account ownership==
The consumer rights group Sentinels of the Store, run by investigator MellowOnline1, uncovered the scheme in September 2025. Their report found that the compromised accounts hadn't been hacked through the game itself; the accounts had been compromised months earlier, then stockpiled for use in the laundering operation.<ref name="sots" /> One victim's account had been compromised as early as December 2024, about 8 months before Click Adventure launched.<ref name="sots" />
''Click Adventure'', a casual clicker game released on August 6, 2025, reportedly led to account compromises where users received emails about unrecognized Marketplace transactions for inventory items tied to the game. Affected users consistently reported that they did not own or interact with Click Adventure prior to the incidents. Losses varied, with some users reporting drains as low as $13 and others up to $205 from their Steam wallet balances. These transactions occurred without Steam Guard login alerts, suggesting a bypass of standard security protocols.


The scam, uncovered by consumer rights group [https://steamcommunity.com/groups/Sentinels_of_the_Store Sentinels of the Store], involved a sophisticated network of hacked "seller" and "buyer" accounts. The developer, "Folso Dev", had reportedly been stockpiling these compromised accounts for up to nine months prior to the game's release.
Click Adventure was a bare-bones clicker game where players clicked to uncover locations & loot. Its [https://steamdb.info/app/3874190/ SteamDB page] shows a peak of 4 concurrent players before removal.<ref name="steamdb">{{Cite web |title=Click Adventure - SteamDB |url=https://steamdb.info/app/3874190/ |url-status=live |website=SteamDB}}</ref>


The scheme operated in a two-step process:
== Wallet drain mechanism ==


#'''Item Listing''': The scammer used the compromised "seller" accounts to list in-game "shell items" on the Steam Community Marketplace. The price of these items was strategically set to match the exact amount of money in a victim's Steam wallet.
The scam operated in two steps using networks of pre-compromised "seller" & "buyer" accounts:<ref name="sots" />
#'''Wallet Drainage''': The scammer then used the compromised "buyer" accounts to purchase these overpriced shell items. This transaction effectively transferred the funds from the victims' wallets to the scammer's "seller" accounts.


This process was repeated across numerous compromised accounts, allowing the scammer to quickly and efficiently launder stolen funds. At least 18 users worldwide have publicly reported these issues<ref>{{Cite web |first=Mellow_Online1 |title=At least 18 users across the world report that their Steam Wallets have been drained |url=https://x.com/MellowOnline1/status/1968086263027671287}}</ref>, with discussions indicating up to 25 cases, though the true number may be higher as not all victims come forward. Users described their accounts as compromised, with wallet funds vanishing through purchases of Click Adventure-specific items, despite no prior engagement with the game.  
# The operator used compromised "seller" accounts to list worthless Click Adventure inventory items on the [[Steam|Steam Community Marketplace]]. Each item's price was set to match the exact balance in a specific victim's wallet.
# The operator then used compromised "buyer" accounts to purchase those items, transferring funds from the victim's wallet to the seller accounts.


==Bypass of Steam Guard security==
Individual losses ranged from $13 to $205.<ref name="sots" /><ref name="tweet">{{Cite web |author=MellowOnline1 |date=2025-09-16 |title=At least 18 users across the world report that their Steam Wallets have been drained |url=https://nitter.net/MellowOnline1/status/1968086263027671287 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/4a6P3 |archive-date=20 March 2026 |website=Twitter}}</ref> Discussions in the Sentinels community indicated up to 25 total cases; the full count is unknown because not all victims filed reports.<ref name="sots" />
[https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/06B0-26E6-2CF8-254C Steam Guard], Valve's two-factor authentication system, typically sends alerts for unrecognized logins to protect accounts. However, in these incidents, no such alerts were received, allowing unauthorized access and transactions. Reports suggest the compromise occurred via session hijacking or credential theft, possibly facilitated by malicious code within the game itself. The consistent targeting of ''Click Adventure'' inventory items implies the exploit was designed to launder funds through Marketplace purchases, evading detection.


The game's low-effort design—a simple clicker uncovering locations and loot—may have served as a vector for malware, extracting session cookies or login data without user awareness. This allowed hackers to maintain persistent access without re-authentication, directly draining wallets for in-game asset buys.
Victims consistently reported that they didn't own Click Adventure & hadn't interacted with it before receiving emails about marketplace purchases tied to the game's inventory items.<ref name="sots" /> The transactions didn't trigger [https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/06B0-26E6-2CF8-254C Steam Guard] alerts because the accounts had already been compromised; the attacker maintained persistent access without triggering new login notifications.<ref name="sots" />


==Developer and publisher analysis==
=== Developer analysis ===
The game was developed and published by "Folso Dev.," an entity with no prior Steam history beyond ''Click Adventure''. The name "Folso Dev." raises suspicions, phonetically resembling "false dev," and no verifiable social media, support contacts, or external presence exists for the developer outside automated Steam crawls. The game's [https://steamdb.info/app/3874190/ SteamDB page] shows it achieved a peak of only 4 concurrent players before removal on or around September 15, 2025, further indicating it was not a legitimate commercial release but potentially a vehicle for scams.


Steam's Terms of Service require developers to maintain accurate contact information and adhere to security standards. Valve's review process failed to detect the exploit prior to launch, allowing the game to go live for over a month.
Folso Dev had no prior history on Steam beyond Click Adventure, and the SOTS investigation noted the name sounds like "false dev."<ref name="sots" /> No verifiable social media presence, support contacts, or external website exists for the entity outside automated Steam database crawlers.<ref name="sots" />


==Valve's response==
The earliest wallet drain reports appeared after Click Adventure's August 6 release but before a second build was pushed on September 12, 2025, the same day Valve banned the game.<ref name="sots" /> The Sentinels investigation concluded that the developer had been accumulating compromised accounts for months before creating the game as a marketplace laundering vehicle.<ref name="sots" />
Valve removed ''Click Adventure'' from the Steam store following user reports, but affected users have not received refunds or compensation. One forum claim suggests some refunds occurred, but no verified cases have been confirmed, and multiple victims report Valve denying reimbursement requests. Steam's Subscriber Agreement states that users are responsible for securing their accounts, potentially shielding Valve from liability:<blockquote>You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account and password and for restricting access to your computer. You agree to accept responsibility for all activities that occur under your account or password.</blockquote>This clause may justify Valve's refusal, despite the compromise originating from a Valve-vetted game. No broader investigation into similar exploits across other titles has been announced.


==Security Concerns==
== Prior Steam marketplace fraud ==
The most significant consumer rights issue highlighted by this incident is the failure of Steam's security measures. Reports from victims indicate that the unauthorized transactions occurred without triggering the typical Steam Guard alerts, which are designed to notify users of any suspicious activity on their accounts. When victims attempted to seek refunds for the stolen funds, Steam Support reportedly denied their requests, citing a lack of grounds for a refund.


This incident has prompted calls for greater transparency and accountability from Valve regarding the security of its platform and the fairness of its refund policy for users who are victims of fraud and highlights gaps in Steam's game approval process for detecting malicious software. Consumers are left vulnerable to wallet drains from ostensibly legitimate titles.
Click Adventure wasn't the first time Steam's marketplace was exploited for fund laundering. In 2021 & 2022, similar schemes used cheap or fake games to create marketplace items for transferring stolen wallet funds. MMO Fallout documented a pattern of fraudulent Steam games operating the same basic model: create a game, list worthless items at inflated prices, & use compromised accounts to complete the purchases.<ref name="mmofallout">{{Cite web |date=2022-03-25 |title=PSA: Steam and the Rise Of Unfettered Fraud |url=https://mmofallout.com/2022/03/25/psa-steam-and-the-rise-of-unfettered-fraud/ |url-status=live |website=MMO Fallout}}</ref>


==Reported impacts and recommendations==
== Valve's response ==


===Complete list of reported impacts===
Valve removed Click Adventure from the Steam store after user reports, but didn't provide refunds or compensation to affected users. Steam Support denied all reimbursement requests even though the developer had already been banned by the time victims sought refunds.<ref name="sots" /><ref name="valve-response" />


*Account compromise without login alerts.
The Steam Subscriber Agreement places responsibility for account security on the user:
*Unauthorized Marketplace purchases of ''Click Adventure'' inventory items.
*Wallet drains ranging from $13 to $205.
*At least 18-25 confirmed victims worldwide.
*No automatic refunds; manual requests denied.


===Recommendations for users===
<blockquote>"You are responsible for the confidentiality of your login and password and for the security of your computer system."<ref name="ssa">{{Cite web |author=Valve |title=Steam Subscriber Agreement |url=https://store.steampowered.com/subscriber_agreement/ |url-status=live |website=Steam}}</ref></blockquote>


*Monitor purchase history and enable Steam Guard mobile authenticator.
Valve denied refunds despite the compromised accounts being used to purchase items from a game distributed through Valve's own storefront.<ref name="sots" />
*Avoid adding significant funds to Steam wallets; use direct payment methods.
*Report suspicious games via Steam discussions and contact support immediately upon detecting unauthorized activity.
*Deauthorize all devices and change passwords if compromise is suspected.


==References==
== Community response ==
 
MellowOnline1 launched a GoFundMe campaign on September 18, 2025, to reimburse affected users for their stolen wallet funds.<ref name="sots" /><ref name="gofundme">{{Cite web |author=Mellow Online |date=2025-09-18 |title='Click Adventure' Steam Scam Victims |url=https://www.gofundme.com/f/click-adventure-steam-scam-victims |url-status=live |website=GoFundMe}}</ref>
 
The incident received no coverage from mainstream gaming outlets. All documentation of the scheme comes from the Sentinels of the Store investigation & associated community discussions.<ref name="sots" />
 
== References ==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist}}
 
[[Category:Valve]]
{{Ph-I-C}}
[[Category:Steam]]
[[Category:Steam]]
[[Category:Valve]]
[[Category:Scams]]

Latest revision as of 19:08, 13 April 2026

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  1. limited to a single primary source (Sentinels of the Store); no mainstream coverage exists

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Click Adventure was a fake Steam game used to drain wallet funds from pre-compromised user accounts through the Steam Community Marketplace. Published by "Folso Dev" on August 6, 2025, the game served as a vehicle for laundering stolen funds; around 25 users reported unauthorized transactions totaling roughly $830 before Valve removed the game on September 12, 2025.[1] Valve denied all refund requests from affected users.[1][2]

Background

[edit | edit source]

The consumer rights group Sentinels of the Store, run by investigator MellowOnline1, uncovered the scheme in September 2025. Their report found that the compromised accounts hadn't been hacked through the game itself; the accounts had been compromised months earlier, then stockpiled for use in the laundering operation.[1] One victim's account had been compromised as early as December 2024, about 8 months before Click Adventure launched.[1]

Click Adventure was a bare-bones clicker game where players clicked to uncover locations & loot. Its SteamDB page shows a peak of 4 concurrent players before removal.[3]

Wallet drain mechanism

[edit | edit source]

The scam operated in two steps using networks of pre-compromised "seller" & "buyer" accounts:[1]

  1. The operator used compromised "seller" accounts to list worthless Click Adventure inventory items on the Steam Community Marketplace. Each item's price was set to match the exact balance in a specific victim's wallet.
  2. The operator then used compromised "buyer" accounts to purchase those items, transferring funds from the victim's wallet to the seller accounts.

Individual losses ranged from $13 to $205.[1][4] Discussions in the Sentinels community indicated up to 25 total cases; the full count is unknown because not all victims filed reports.[1]

Victims consistently reported that they didn't own Click Adventure & hadn't interacted with it before receiving emails about marketplace purchases tied to the game's inventory items.[1] The transactions didn't trigger Steam Guard alerts because the accounts had already been compromised; the attacker maintained persistent access without triggering new login notifications.[1]

Developer analysis

[edit | edit source]

Folso Dev had no prior history on Steam beyond Click Adventure, and the SOTS investigation noted the name sounds like "false dev."[1] No verifiable social media presence, support contacts, or external website exists for the entity outside automated Steam database crawlers.[1]

The earliest wallet drain reports appeared after Click Adventure's August 6 release but before a second build was pushed on September 12, 2025, the same day Valve banned the game.[1] The Sentinels investigation concluded that the developer had been accumulating compromised accounts for months before creating the game as a marketplace laundering vehicle.[1]

Prior Steam marketplace fraud

[edit | edit source]

Click Adventure wasn't the first time Steam's marketplace was exploited for fund laundering. In 2021 & 2022, similar schemes used cheap or fake games to create marketplace items for transferring stolen wallet funds. MMO Fallout documented a pattern of fraudulent Steam games operating the same basic model: create a game, list worthless items at inflated prices, & use compromised accounts to complete the purchases.[5]

Valve's response

[edit | edit source]

Valve removed Click Adventure from the Steam store after user reports, but didn't provide refunds or compensation to affected users. Steam Support denied all reimbursement requests even though the developer had already been banned by the time victims sought refunds.[1][2]

The Steam Subscriber Agreement places responsibility for account security on the user:

"You are responsible for the confidentiality of your login and password and for the security of your computer system."[6]

Valve denied refunds despite the compromised accounts being used to purchase items from a game distributed through Valve's own storefront.[1]

Community response

[edit | edit source]

MellowOnline1 launched a GoFundMe campaign on September 18, 2025, to reimburse affected users for their stolen wallet funds.[1][7]

The incident received no coverage from mainstream gaming outlets. All documentation of the scheme comes from the Sentinels of the Store investigation & associated community discussions.[1]

References

[edit | edit source]
  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 Mellow_Online1 (2025-09-18). "Click Adventure: How a Banned Steam Game Drained Wallets and Dodged Steam Security". Steam Community. Archived from the original on 11 January 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. 2.0 2.1 Valve. "Steam Support response to Click Adventure victim". Imgur. Archived from the original on 22 September 2025.
  3. "Click Adventure - SteamDB". SteamDB.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. MellowOnline1 (2025-09-16). "At least 18 users across the world report that their Steam Wallets have been drained". Twitter. Archived from the original on 20 March 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. "PSA: Steam and the Rise Of Unfettered Fraud". MMO Fallout. 2022-03-25.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. Valve. "Steam Subscriber Agreement". Steam.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. Mellow Online (2025-09-18). "'Click Adventure' Steam Scam Victims". GoFundMe.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)