The DM is always a scam

Real support teams do not slide into your DMs first. If "MetaMask Support" or "Coinbase Help" messages you out of nowhere about a problem with your account, that's not customer service, that's a scammer wearing a badge they made themselves. Same story for "you've won a giveaway," fake romance connections that slowly steer toward crypto, and every long, patient con in between.

Notice the pressure. "Your wallet is compromised, migrate now" or "this offer expires in ten minutes" exists purely to rush you past the part of your brain that would otherwise ask questions. Scammers need you moving faster than you're thinking.

Here's the simplest rule that will save you more than any checklist: legitimate projects and platforms never DM first, and never ask for your seed phrase or funds. CATE will never DM you, period. If something claiming to be CATE slides into your inbox, it's not us.