How Escrow Protects You on GameSwapz
By Ömer Faruk Terzioğlu
·
August 23, 2026
When you buy on GameSwapz, your payment isn't handed straight to the seller. It goes into escrow first, and stays there until the deal is actually done.
How the escrow process works
1. You place an order and pay through GameSwapz.
2. Your payment is held in escrow -- the seller does not receive it yet.
3. The seller delivers the digital good (account, key, boost, or service) through the platform.
4. You confirm delivery, or the order auto-completes 24 hours after the seller marks it delivered if you don't raise an issue.
5. Only then are funds released to the seller.
For Steam account sales specifically, we hold the funds for an additional 7 days after delivery to cover the Steam trade-lock window, even after the order shows as completed. You can still open a dispute during that period.
Who can sell on GameSwapz
Every seller goes through identity verification before they're allowed to open a store. That means submitting a photo ID (front and back), a selfie, and a selfie holding the ID next to their face, plus agreeing to our seller terms. Our team reviews every submission by hand -- a store can't go live until it's approved. Files are encrypted and never public.
This doesn't guarantee every transaction goes perfectly, but it means every seller on GameSwapz is a real, verified person who agreed to our rules before listing anything.
What happens if something goes wrong
If a delivery is missing, doesn't match the listing, or the account turns out to be invalid, you can open a dispute directly on the order (as long as it's still within the escrow window described above). You can attach screenshots or files as evidence. If a dispute sits untouched for 48 hours, it automatically escalates so our team gets eyes on it. A human on our side reviews the evidence from both sides and decides whether funds are released to the seller or refunded to you -- this decision is made manually, not automatically.
Buyer safety checklist
Check the seller's store rating and how long they've been active.
Read the full listing description before buying, not just the title.
Keep all communication and payment on GameSwapz -- we can't protect a deal that happens off-platform.
Never share your GameSwapz password or payment details with a seller.
If delivery is late, wrong, or missing, open a dispute instead of waiting it out.
Seller safety checklist
Only list goods you're actually allowed to sell.
Describe what you're selling accurately -- mismatched listings are the #1 reason for disputes.
Deliver through the platform so there's a record of what and when.
Respond quickly if a buyer opens a dispute, with evidence.
Never ask a buyer to pay you outside GameSwapz -- it voids your protection too.
A note on off-platform contact: we automatically flag common off-platform contact patterns (Discord, phone numbers, WhatsApp, etc.) in order messages, but this is a best-effort filter, not a guarantee. Escrow protection only applies to payments made through GameSwapz.
We're still improving this system -- categories, verification, and dispute handling will keep getting better. If anything you see on GameSwapz doesn't match what's described here, let us know.
How the escrow process works
1. You place an order and pay through GameSwapz.
2. Your payment is held in escrow -- the seller does not receive it yet.
3. The seller delivers the digital good (account, key, boost, or service) through the platform.
4. You confirm delivery, or the order auto-completes 24 hours after the seller marks it delivered if you don't raise an issue.
5. Only then are funds released to the seller.
For Steam account sales specifically, we hold the funds for an additional 7 days after delivery to cover the Steam trade-lock window, even after the order shows as completed. You can still open a dispute during that period.
Who can sell on GameSwapz
Every seller goes through identity verification before they're allowed to open a store. That means submitting a photo ID (front and back), a selfie, and a selfie holding the ID next to their face, plus agreeing to our seller terms. Our team reviews every submission by hand -- a store can't go live until it's approved. Files are encrypted and never public.
This doesn't guarantee every transaction goes perfectly, but it means every seller on GameSwapz is a real, verified person who agreed to our rules before listing anything.
What happens if something goes wrong
If a delivery is missing, doesn't match the listing, or the account turns out to be invalid, you can open a dispute directly on the order (as long as it's still within the escrow window described above). You can attach screenshots or files as evidence. If a dispute sits untouched for 48 hours, it automatically escalates so our team gets eyes on it. A human on our side reviews the evidence from both sides and decides whether funds are released to the seller or refunded to you -- this decision is made manually, not automatically.
Buyer safety checklist
Check the seller's store rating and how long they've been active.
Read the full listing description before buying, not just the title.
Keep all communication and payment on GameSwapz -- we can't protect a deal that happens off-platform.
Never share your GameSwapz password or payment details with a seller.
If delivery is late, wrong, or missing, open a dispute instead of waiting it out.
Seller safety checklist
Only list goods you're actually allowed to sell.
Describe what you're selling accurately -- mismatched listings are the #1 reason for disputes.
Deliver through the platform so there's a record of what and when.
Respond quickly if a buyer opens a dispute, with evidence.
Never ask a buyer to pay you outside GameSwapz -- it voids your protection too.
A note on off-platform contact: we automatically flag common off-platform contact patterns (Discord, phone numbers, WhatsApp, etc.) in order messages, but this is a best-effort filter, not a guarantee. Escrow protection only applies to payments made through GameSwapz.
We're still improving this system -- categories, verification, and dispute handling will keep getting better. If anything you see on GameSwapz doesn't match what's described here, let us know.