Wallet safety basics for skaters

You don't need a wallet to play Global SKATE. But if you set one up, on the Skate Labs Dash or anywhere else, these are the habits that keep you from getting cooked.

None of this is complicated. Most wallet thefts come down to someone being talked into giving something away. Solflare lists the usual suspects pretty bluntly: malware, phishing sites, fake wallet apps, fake support, and approving a sketchy app's permissions without reading.

Rule one: your recovery phrase is nobody's business

Your recovery phrase (seed phrase) and private keys control your wallet. Phantom's warning is short: "Anyone with access to either has full control of your wallet."

So:

• Never share it. Not with a friend, not with "support," not with anyone. Phantom says no legitimate person or platform will ever ask for it.
• Never type it into a website. Phantom points out you don't need your phrase to connect to an app.
• Store it offline. Write it on paper (Solflare also mentions a metal backup plate) and keep it somewhere safe. Both Phantom and Solflare say no screenshots, photos, notes apps, email or cloud storage.

If you ever entered your phrase somewhere sketchy, both wallets say the same thing: treat the wallet as compromised, make a new one, and move whatever's left right away.

Rule two: support doesn't slide into your DMs

This one catches people all the time. You ask a question in a public chat and a "support agent" DMs you a minute later, super helpful, and just needs your 12 words to "sync" your wallet.

It's a scam every time. Phantom says its support will never message you on Discord, X, Telegram or other chat apps, and "will never contact you first." Solflare says the same: staff won't message you first, and real support happens through its Help Center.

Skate Labs works like that too. Its support page lists one address, support@skatelabs.app, read by a person. The site's own rule is short: "Nothing is announced by DM."

Rule three: a name proves nothing

Anyone can create a token or a collection on Solana and give it any name they like, including one that sounds like Skate Labs. The name is just text. What identifies a real one is its address, and the only place to trust an address from is the project's own website.

Skate Labs has nothing for sale on-chain right now. So a "Skate Labs token", a presale or a mint link that reaches you in a reply or a DM is fake, no matter how good the logo looks. If Skate Labs ever publishes an official address, it will be on skatelabs.app, not in your messages.

Rule four: check the link before you tap

Fake sites copy real ones down to the logo. Some habits that help:

• Type or bookmark real domains instead of clicking links in replies and DMs. For Skate Labs that's skatelabs.app, docs.skatelabs.app and dash.skatelabs.app.
• Don't trust search ads blindly. Solflare warns that scammers pay to show up first in search results.
• Watch for lookalikes. Solflare's own example is solflare.app (fake) vs solflare.com (real).
• Download wallets from official links or store listings, and check the developer name. Solflare says fake wallet apps steal your phrase "as soon as you set them up."

Rule five: read before you approve

When an app asks your wallet to sign something, actually read it. Phantom suggests checking an asset's contract address before you swap, send or buy. Solflare notes that Solana transactions can't be reversed, so "prevention is the only real protection."

On the Skate Labs Dash, wallet setup itself doesn't buy, mint, start or transfer anything, and future transactions need your approval. That approval step is your moment to slow down.

If something already went wrong

From Solflare's recovery guide:

1. If your phrase may have leaked, assume the attacker can sign anything. Make a new wallet on a clean device and move any remaining assets right away.
2. Stop using the old wallet and send nothing more to it.
3. Scan your device for malware.
4. Keep transaction IDs, screenshots and timestamps.
5. Report it to your local cybercrime authority, and to any exchange the funds went to.

And ignore anyone offering to "recover" your funds for a fee. Solflare and Phantom both say those are scammers too.

The skater version, if you skipped to the bottom

Your address is like your handle, fine to share. Your recovery phrase is like the keys to your house, your car and your phone all at once. Nobody legit will ever DM you first, and Skate Labs announcements live on skatelabs.app, not in your inbox.

Got a weird message using the Skate Labs name? Email support@skatelabs.app and tell them about it.

Worked example: the "sync your wallet" DM

You post in a public chat that your wallet looks empty. A minute later an account called "Support Team" DMs you, polite and quick, and sends a link to "sync" your wallet with your 12 words.

Run it through the rules. Support never DMs first: fail. It wants your phrase: fail. The link isn't a domain you typed yourself: fail. Three strikes. You close the chat, block the account, and if it used the Skate Labs name, you email support@skatelabs.app about it.

Common mistakes

• Answering a DM because it looks official. Logos and names are easy to copy.
• Keeping the phrase in a notes app "just for now". Temporary copies are the ones that leak.
• Paying a "recovery" service. Those are scammers too.

FAQ

Will Skate Labs ever ask for my recovery phrase?

No. Nobody legit will, and Skate Labs announcements don't come by DM.

Is it safe to share my wallet address?

Yes. Your address is public. Keys and the phrase are what you protect.

What should I do if I typed my phrase into a fake site?

Treat the wallet as compromised: make a new one on a clean device and move what's left right away.

Next: How to play SKATE with a friend anywhere (Global SKATE 101)

Join the testers at skatelabs.app/testers and play a Game of SKATE with your friends. Global SKATE is free and in testing on iPhone and Android.