MetaMask Adds New Wallet Protections Against Crypto Scams

In brief

• New warnings flag potential scams, lookalike wallet addresses, and transfers to first-time recipients.
• Added Protection automatically reverts transactions that differ from their previews, according to MetaMask.
• Transfer warnings cover mobile and desktop, while Added Protection launches on the browser extension first.

The team behind the popular cryptocurrency wallet MetaMask is rolling out new scam warning features in its mobile app and its browser extension.

MetaMask announced new wallet protections Monday, adding warnings for lookalike addresses, investment and romance scams, and first-time recipients, along with clearer transaction screens on mobile and its browser extension.

A separate feature, Added Protection, automatically reverts transactions that don’t match their previews, according to MetaMask. It launches on the browser extension first, with mobile support to follow.

Martin Peko, Staff Product Manager at MetaMask, said users often ignored scam warnings, suggesting they trusted the recipient or were being told to proceed.

“This told us something specific: they either trusted the recipient far more than usual, or they were being actively coached past it,” Peko told Decrypt. “That's what made us think a different kind of control was needed. We're also adding a route to priority support from this flow, so someone who's uncertain can reach a person rather than simply being told to stop.”