Week in literacy
Five short literacy notes from primary wallet, protocol, and consumer-protection sources. Original paraphrases only—link out to read the originals. Educational content only — not investment advice.
1. “Add network” is a trust decision—MetaMask does not vouch for the chain
MetaMask’s verification article explains that when a site asks you to add a custom network, the confirmation shows the name, RPC URL, chain ID, currency symbol, and optional explorer the site supplied. The wallet may flag oddities, but it does not verify that the network is honest; treat the details with the same caution you give the website. If chain ID or RPC do not match official docs you opened yourself, reject the prompt.
Literacy takeaway: Compare network fields to primary docs before Approve. New walkthrough: networks and chain IDs.
Source: How to verify custom network information in MetaMask — MetaMask Help Center (accessed 2026-09-25) — https://support.metamask.io/configure/networks/verifying-custom-network-information/
2. Recovery phrases stay offline—no “support” exception
ethereum.org’s security guidance states that a recovery (seed) phrase is the master key to the wallet: anyone who has it can empty the accounts. No legitimate service, support agent, or website will ask for those words. Screenshotting a phrase can sync it to cloud storage and open another theft path—write it down offline and keep it offline.
Literacy takeaway: Hang up on anyone who asks for seed words. Checklist: seed-phrase safety.
Source: Ethereum security and scam prevention — ethereum.org (accessed 2026-09-25) — https://ethereum.org/en/security/
3. Spend limits beat “unlimited approve” habits
Why it still matters this week: many drain patterns start with a permission, not a direct send. ethereum.org advises against unlimited smart-contract spend limits when you can set an amount that matches the transaction you intend. Unlimited allowances let a contract move tokens later without another clear “send” mental model—review and revoke old permissions on a schedule.
Literacy takeaway: Prefer exact allowances; clear stale ones. See what is a token approval and how to revoke.
Source: Ethereum security and scam prevention (spend limits section) — ethereum.org (accessed 2026-09-25) — https://ethereum.org/en/security/
4. FTC: payments in crypto under pressure are a scam pattern
The FTC’s consumer page on cryptocurrency and scams notes that legitimate businesses do not demand cryptocurrency in advance to “protect” an account or fix a problem, and that payments are typically not reversible once sent. Impersonators (companies, agencies, “support”) still use urgency plus a wallet address or QR code—open official channels yourself instead of following the message.
Literacy takeaway: Unexpected “pay in crypto to unlock your account” is fraud literacy, not customer service. Patterns: common crypto scams.
Source: What To Know About Cryptocurrency and Scams — FTC Consumer Advice (May 2022; accessed 2026-09-25) — https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-know-about-cryptocurrency-and-scams
5. Confirm on an explorer you typed—not a screenshot
ethereum.org’s security page reminds readers to double-check the destination address before sending, because on-chain transfers are generally irreversible. Wallet toasts and chat screenshots are easy to forge; literacy means opening a public explorer yourself, pasting the hash or address, and reading status, from/to, and value fields there.
Literacy takeaway: Explorer verification is routine self-custody, not panic. Guide: how to read a blockchain transaction.
Source: Ethereum security and scam prevention (double-check transactions) — ethereum.org (accessed 2026-09-25) — https://ethereum.org/en/security/
Educational content only — not investment advice. This digest paraphrases public educational pages for literacy. It does not recommend buying, selling, or holding any cryptocurrency or token, and it is not financial, tax, or legal advice.