Cheaters in Counter-Strike 2 ruin the fun and fairness of matches, making it crucial for players to spot and report them. By recognizing suspicious behavior and using CS2’s reporting tools, you can help keep the game competitive and enjoyable. This updated 2025 guide explains how to identify hackers, report them effectively, and shares recent stats on cheater bans to show Valve’s efforts. We’ve reviewed competitor guides, refined the content to cut fluff, and added key details to make this your go-to resource for maintaining CS2’s integrity.

Why reporting cheaters matters

Hackers using aimbots, wallhacks, or other cheats disrupt CS2’s competitive spirit, frustrating honest players. Reporting them through CS2’s in-game system or Steam helps Valve’s anti-cheat team and the community-driven Overwatch system catch violators. Every report strengthens the game’s fairness, ensuring a better experience for all.

How to spot cheaters

To report cheaters, you need to notice suspicious behavior. Look for these signs:

• Perfect Aim: Always hitting headshots or aiming through walls could mean an aimbot.
• Knowing Too Much: If they always find hidden players without reason, they might use wallhacks.
• Weird Movement: Moving super fast or in impossible ways suggests speed hacks.
• Sudden Skill Jumps: A player who’s average but suddenly dominates might be cheating.

Spotting these helps you report accurately, keeping CS2 clean.

CS2’s reporting system

CS2’s reporting system lets you flag cheaters in-game or on Steam. Reports go to Valve’s anti-cheat team or Overwatch, where experienced players review footage. It’s simple and helps catch cheaters fast.

Ban Stats (from 2024-2025):

• May 2–5, 2024: Valve banned ~1,500 accounts for cheating.
• Early 2025: A single night saw 26,000 bans after a VAC update.
• In 2023, ~0.52% of players were cheaters, but high-rank games feel worse due to skilled hackers.

X posts note some “rage hackers” (like spinbotters) still get through, but Valve’s improving with VAC 3.0’s AI bans.

How to report cheaters

Reporting is easy. Here’s how to do it:

In-Game

1. Open Scoreboard: During a match, check the scoreboard for the cheater’s name.
2. Report Them: Right-click their name, choose “Report.”
3. Pick a Reason: Select “Aim Hacking,” “Wall Hacking,” “Speed Hacking,” or “Other Hacks.”
4. Send: Submit the report for Valve or Overwatch to review.

On Steam

For issues after the match:

1. Find Their Profile: Go to the cheater’s Steam profile via CS2 or friends list.
2. Report Violation: Click “More,” then “Report Violation.”
3. Choose Cheating: Select “Suspected Cheater” and describe what happened.
4. Submit: Valve will check it out.

Tip: Add details like the round number or specific actions (e.g., “shot through wall on Dust II, round 3”). This makes reports stronger.

How CS2 catches cheaters

CS2 uses two main tools to stop cheats:

• VAC 3.0: Valve’s anti-cheat scans for hacks and odd behavior, banning in real time.
• Overwatch: Skilled players review reported match footage to catch sneaky cheaters.

VAC’s ban waves, like 26,000 bans in one night in 2025, hit hard, but some advanced cheats still slip through, especially in high ranks, per X feedback. Valve keeps updating to fix this.

Tips to stop cheating

You can help prevent cheating:

• Know the Signs: Learn about hacks like aimbots or spinbots on CS2 forums.
• Secure Your Account: Use a strong password and Steam Guard (2FA).
• Stick to Official Servers: Valve’s servers have better anti-cheat than random ones.
• Encourage Fair Play: Push friends to play honestly.

The community’s role

CS2’s community is the first line of defense against hackers. Every report you submit helps Valve and Overwatch keep the game fair. By using the in-game report tool or Steam’s reporting feature, you’re part of a collective effort to catch cheaters and maintain CS2’s competitive spirit. The more players report, the faster Valve can act, as seen with the 1,500 bans in three days in 2024 and 26,000 in one night in 2025.

Fighting cheaters in CS2 takes teamwork between Valve’s anti-cheat systems and players like you. By spotting suspicious behavior, reporting hackers through CS2’s in-game tool or Steam, and staying vigilant, you help keep the game fair. With thousands of bans in 2024-2025, Valve is cracking down, but your reports make a difference.