I entered the circle in 2019, witnessed the DeFi frenzy and endured the bear market winter, but what chilled me the most was not the waterfall crash, but that afternoon when I almost recited the mnemonic phrase.
1. The warmth of a 'senior' may be the breeding ground for scams.
I once trusted a 'teacher' who brought me into the industry immensely. She provided me with market analysis every day and patiently taught me how to read candlestick charts at three in the morning. Until one day, she suddenly contacted me urgently, saying that the exchange was going to freeze accounts and I had to immediately transfer assets to a 'secure wallet', asking me to recite the mnemonic phrase to help her 'sync backup'.
I didn't even doubt it – in the crypto world, we often let our guard down against 'well-meaning' people.
But when I opened my notebook and was about to recite the first word, my best friend casually said something that burst the bubble: 'Isn't this just asking someone to show you their bank card password?'
At that moment, I was completely awakened: in a decentralized world, the weakest link is always human.
2. Mnemonic phrases are the lifeline of assets and the mirror of human nature.
Later I realized that the 'teacher' had used the same rhetoric to swindle another novice out of 2 million. Ironically, the 'K-line skills' she taught me were all second-hand information sourced from the internet.
The truth is:
Technology is for preventing hackers, while vigilance is for guarding against 'acquaintances'.
Bitcoin's SHA-256 algorithm is unbreakable, but human hearts can change in a second. I've seen someone store their mnemonic phrase in their phone's memo, and when the phone was lost, $100,000 evaporated in three minutes.
Free help often comes with the highest price.
A true veteran player won't give you 'free guidance' at three in the morning – unless you are the prey.
3. My survival rule: Use the physical world to counter human risk.
Now, my method of keeping mnemonic phrases is simple yet effective:
Fireproof and waterproof pen + titanium steel plate, handwrite three copies and lock them in a bank safe, my parents' secret room, and a lawyer's custody cabinet;
Never digitize: refuse to take photos with your phone, cloud storage, or even clipboard.
For any request for mnemonic phrases, the default reply is: 'Why don't you recite your own password for me to hear first?'
This is not paranoia – the essence of the crypto world is that you are responsible for yourself.
4. A note for beginners: Trust the code, but don't blindly believe in 'sentiment'.
Some people complain about the indifference in the crypto world, but I think an appropriate sense of boundary is a respect for assets. True 'decentralization' is not about rejecting all rules but recognizing:
Your 12 words are ten thousand times more important than your bank card password.
Algorithms won't betray you, but 'sentimental stories' may harbor malicious intent.
If someone asks you to exchange 'trust' for a 'shortcut', please block them directly.
Finally, I'll share a principle that has helped me avoid countless pitfalls:
In the crypto world, what you need to do is not to please people, but to cultivate yourself to be someone who is not easily pleased.
The safety of your assets always ends at the moment you blindly trust others. Follow Ake to learn more about first-hand information and accurate points in the crypto world. Learning is your greatest wealth! #巨鲸动向 #加密市场观察 $ETH
