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Safety Academy · Story 09 · Fake support & recovery phrases

Excellent service. Terrible helper.

A failed swap attracts someone very keen to repair Penny’s wallet.

Estimated 5 min read

FAKE SUPPORT & RECOVERY PHRASES6 scenes

Penny posts about a failed swap.

Penny posts a swap error in a public help channel. She shares no private information. Within minutes, an account calling itself official support sends a direct message.

Penny
“I just need someone to explain this error.”
Illustration: Penny posts about a failed swap.

A public request can attract impersonators. Start support through a verified channel.

A direct message offers instant repair.

The helper says the wallet needs synchronizing and links to wallet-sync.example. It promises instant repair. The copied profile picture looks much more official than the offer deserves.

The Scammer
“I can fix everything. Especially my balance.”
Illustration: A direct message offers instant repair.

Urgency and familiar branding do not authenticate a support agent.

The form asks for her recovery phrase.

Penny opens the form and sees fields for every recovery word. She does not type anything. A failed swap suddenly requires the power to recreate her entire wallet.

Penny
“This is a lot of power for a swap error.”
Illustration: The form asks for her recovery phrase.

A recovery phrase can recreate access to the accounts it controls.

Capitano Ritas explains what the form would give away.

Capitano Ritas explains that anyone with the phrase can recreate the accounts it controls. Her device PIN cannot protect a copied phrase, and disconnecting a website would not erase the copy.

Capitano Ritas
“Support needs the error message. That form wants the whole wallet.”
Illustration: Capitano Ritas explains what the form would give away.

A leaked recovery phrase requires a different response from an unwanted token allowance.

She closes the form and opens official support herself.

Penny closes the form, blocks the impersonator and reaches official support independently. Her recovery words stay private. The original swap error can wait for a real answer.

Penny
“You may close my ticket. You may not open my wallet.”
Illustration: She closes the form and opens official support herself.

For legitimate hardware-wallet recovery, follow the maker’s instructions on the device. Never give the words to a helper.

The error remains a support issue, not a theft.

No wallet secret was shared. If it had been, Penny would treat the old wallet as compromised and follow official incident guidance using a clean, trusted setup. The fake helper closes an unprofitable ticket.

Penny
“A failed swap is cheaper than successful fake support.”
Illustration: The error remains a support issue, not a theft.

The habit: nobody needs your recovery phrase to answer a support question.

The useful bit

A helper who asks for your recovery phrase is asking for control.

  1. You start the support conversation, through a channel you found yourself. Never from a message that found you.
  2. Nobody who helps you needs your recovery phrase. Never type it into a 'repair' site.
  3. Keep your recovery words offline and to yourself. A phone PIN does not protect words you gave away.

I already did this

Shared recovery words mean a compromised wallet. From a clean setup, follow MetaMask’s guide to create a new wallet and protect remaining assets. Disconnecting cannot erase a copied phrase. If funds disappear automatically, do not add money for fees; use the guide’s sweeper guidance.

Sources & further reading