What do those words do?
A recovery phrase is a secret set of words used to restore access to some crypto wallets. Someone with it may be able to control the accounts it protects. Wallet designs and recovery methods differ. MetaMask explicitly warns against sharing its phrase with anyone, including its support team. Read MetaMask’s security explanation.
CAUTION: A familiar logo is not proof
Fictional example: A message says your wallet needs urgent attention and asks you to send your backup words to “support.” Treat that request as a serious warning. A name, logo, or helpful tone does not establish who is behind it.
Before sharing anything
- Stop interacting with the request. Do not send the words or enter them through the supplied link.
- Find the provider independently. Use the support option in your verified wallet app or the provider’s official help website—not the route supplied by the message.
- Check that provider’s instructions. MetaMask says it does not initiate support by direct message or email. Existing support tickets can generate email updates; that is different from an unsolicited approach.
Check MetaMask’s official support channels and contact rules. Other providers have their own procedures.
But doesn’t restoring a wallet need those words?
Giving the phrase to a person
Sending it in a message or reading it aloud gives someone else the secret. Do not treat it as proof of identity for a support agent.
Restoring your own wallet
A genuine restoration process can require private phrase entry. Follow verified instructions for your exact wallet and device—not a stranger’s link or directions.
There is no universal rule that words are entered only on a hardware device. For example, Trezor Model One’s standard recovery uses Trezor Suite with prompts confirmed on the physical device. See Trezor’s model-specific instructions. This distinction does not make an unfamiliar app or form trustworthy.
Remember the distinction
Keep the secret private. Find support independently. Follow the right instructions for your own wallet.
Watch “Support? Or a Trap?” on YouTube (40 seconds; opens a new tab).
Want the wider picture of wallets, custody, and crypto risks? Choose the depth that suits you; the guides work independently.
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