Whenever there is a balance attached to an account, there are people who want to get into it. The good news is that a handful of habits stop the large majority of account takeovers. This checklist is written for Bitcoin Yay users, but most of it applies to any crypto account.
1. Use a strong, unique password
Use a long password that you do not use anywhere else. Reusing passwords is the most common way accounts are compromised: a breach at some unrelated website leaks your password, and attackers try it everywhere. A password manager makes unique passwords easy.
2. Protect your email
Your email is the key to your account, because password resets are sent there. If someone takes over your email, they can reset everything else. Give your email account a strong password of its own and turn on any extra verification options it offers.
3. Turn on available verification options
Enable any additional verification that is offered in your account settings. Extra verification steps mean a stolen password alone is not enough.
4. Never share your login or recovery details
The Bitcoin Yay team will never ask for your password. Anyone who does, whether on social media, in a private message, in a group chat or over the phone, is trying to scam you. This includes people pretending to be support staff, admins or ambassadors.
5. Learn to spot phishing
Phishing is the most common attack in crypto. Watch for:
- Urgency. "Your account will be closed in one hour" is designed to stop you thinking.
- Too-good-to-be-true offers. Free giveaways that ask you to send tokens first are scams.
- Lookalike addresses. Check website addresses and email senders carefully. Type the address yourself or use the official app rather than clicking links in messages.
- Unofficial apps and node installers. Download only from the official website, the App Store or Google Play.
6. Be careful with withdrawals
When you withdraw, you choose a method, enter an amount and, for external networks, provide a destination address. A wrong address can mean funds that cannot be recovered.
- Copy the address from your own wallet rather than retyping it.
- Check the first and last characters after pasting.
- Confirm you are using the correct network for that address.
- Consider a small test amount first for larger transfers.
You can follow each request's status, whether pending, completed or rejected, in your withdrawal history.
7. Understand pending balances
Earnings that depend on verified ad engagement show as unverified until they are confirmed. This is normal and not a sign that anything is wrong. Be wary of anyone who claims they can "unlock" or "speed up" pending balances for a fee.
8. Keep your devices updated
Install operating system and app updates. Avoid logging in on shared or public computers, and be cautious about public Wi-Fi for anything sensitive.
9. Know how to reset your password
If you forget it, use the "Forgot password" option on the login screen, enter your email and follow the reset link. If you get a reset email you did not request, do not click it, and consider changing your email password too.
10. What to do if something goes wrong
- Reset your password immediately, using the official login screen.
- Secure your email account.
- Contact support through the official support page and describe what happened.
- Do not send money to anyone who offers to "recover" your funds. Recovery scams target victims of earlier scams.
Data and privacy
You can request account or data deletion through the privacy options in the app or on the website. The data-deletion page explains the process and what is removed. You can read how we handle personal information in our privacy policy.
Final thought
Security is a set of small habits rather than one big step. Do the first four items on this list today and you will already be much harder to attack. For more answers, see the FAQ or the Safety Center.
Frequently asked questions
Do you ever ask for my password? Never. The Bitcoin Yay team will not ask for your password, recovery details or verification codes, whether by email, message, social media or phone.
Is public Wi-Fi safe? It is better to avoid sensitive actions such as logging in or withdrawing on public networks. If you must, use your mobile data instead.
What if I lose my phone? Sign in from another device, change your password straight away and secure your email account. Then contact support through the official page.
Should I write my password down? A password manager is safer than notes on paper or in a phone. If you do write it down, keep it somewhere secure and never store it next to the device.
How often should I change my password? Use a strong, unique password and change it if you suspect a leak, if you reused it elsewhere or if a service you use has a breach. Constant changes to weak passwords help less than one strong password used only here.
Build a habit, not a one-off
Set a reminder to review your security every few months. Check that your email password is still strong, remove old devices you no longer use, and clear out any apps you do not recognise. Look at your transaction and withdrawal history for anything unfamiliar. If you help friends or family into crypto, spend five minutes showing them these basics. Most losses in this space come from ordinary mistakes, not sophisticated hacking, and each habit here removes one of those mistakes.