A Zcash meetup brings together people who care about privacy. That means safety and privacy should be built into everything you do, from the venue you pick to the way you say goodbye. Most meetups are relaxed and friendly, and nothing goes wrong. These habits help keep it that way. Read this guide before your first event, and share the key points with your co-organisers.
The golden rules#
If you remember nothing else, remember these.
Seed phrases: never#
A seed phrase (also called a recovery phrase) is a list of secret words that backs up a wallet. Anyone who has those words can take everything in the wallet. There is no bank to call and no way to undo it.
So the rule is simple and absolute: nobody at a meetup asks for, sees, photographs or types anyone else's seed phrase. Not the organiser, not a helper, not a friendly expert.
When helping people set up a wallet:
- Tell them to write their recovery words on paper, privately, where nobody can see. Suggest they turn away or step aside while doing it.
- Remind them not to photograph the words or store them in notes, email or cloud storage.
- If someone tries to show you their words, stop them kindly: "Please keep that to yourself. Nobody should ever see it, including me."
Say it in your welcome. Say it again at the wallet clinic. It can't be repeated too often.
Hands off phones and wallets#
It's tempting to "just quickly do it" for someone who's struggling. Don't. When you hold someone's phone:
- you might see things you shouldn't, like their seed phrase or balances,
- you take responsibility if something goes wrong,
- and you teach them that handing over their phone is normal. It isn't.
Instead, guide with words. "Tap the menu at the top. Now look for Settings." Or demonstrate on your own phone, shown on a screen. Point people to ZecHub's wallet page (opens in a new tab) for the current list, and remind them to download only from the official source.
Organisers and helpers also never send funds for someone, receive funds for someone, or hold anything on anyone's behalf. Not even a small amount for a demo.
Don't discuss holdings#
Asking "how much do you have?" is common at some crypto events. At ours, it isn't done.
- It's private. Financial privacy is the whole point.
- It can make people a target, both for scams and for physical crime.
- It shifts the mood towards money and away from learning.
If someone asks, redirect: "We keep that private here. What got you interested in privacy?" Model this yourself. Never mention your own holdings, even as a joke.
Physical safety#
Most risks at a meetup are ordinary ones. A little awareness goes a long way.
- Public venues only. Cafés, libraries, co-working spaces. Never a private home for an open event.
- Know your venue. Where are the exits? Who's the staff contact? Is the route to transport well lit?
- Watch what's visible. Remind people not to leave phones and laptops unattended, and not to show wallet screens openly.
- Leaving safely. At late events, suggest people leave in pairs or groups. Don't announce who's going where.
- Organiser privacy. You don't need to publish your full name, home area or personal phone number. Use a group chat link or email alias.
- Alcohol. Make sure there are good non-alcoholic choices, and don't let drinking become the focus.
Photo consent#
Some people come to a privacy meetup precisely because they value not being photographed. Respect that.
- Ask before every photo. "Is everyone okay with a group photo? If not, just step out of frame."
- Use stickers or lanyards. Offer a "no photos" dot sticker and a "photos OK" dot. You can also use lanyard colours, such as red for no photos and green for photos OK. Explain the system in your welcome.
- Respect the signal, always. Anyone with a "no photos" sticker should not appear in any photo, even in the background.
- Before posting, check every face. Blur or crop anyone who didn't agree.
- Never tag people online without asking.
- Don't photograph screens. Wallet screens can reveal addresses and balances.
Scams and impersonators#
Wherever people gather around digital money, scammers follow. Teach everyone the red flags.
The five red flags#
- Someone DMs you first. Real helpers don't send private messages out of the blue. Nobody legitimate DMs first.
- "Support" asks for your seed phrase. No real support person, app or company will ever ask for it.
- Promises of guaranteed returns. Anyone promising to double, grow or multiply your money is lying.
- Urgency. "Act now or lose out" is a classic pressure trick. Slow down.
- Fake giveaways. "Send some, get more back" is always a scam.
Common tricks at meetups#
- Someone joins your group chat after the event and messages attendees privately, pretending to be an organiser or helper.
- A fake account copies your group's name and photo.
- Someone offers to "help set up" a wallet and asks to hold the phone.
- A person promotes a "trading group", "signals" or an "opportunity".
How to protect your group#
- Say in every announcement: "Organisers will never DM you first or ask for money, seed phrases or personal details."
- In group chats, turn on admin approval for new members if you can, and pin a safety message.
- Remove anyone who promotes money-making schemes, immediately and without debate.
- If an impersonator account appears, warn your group publicly and report the account to the platform.
Our "Stay safe from scams" leaflet covers these red flags in plain language. Keep a few on the table.
What to do if something goes wrong#
Even with good habits, things can happen. Stay calm and put people's safety first.
If someone is hurt or in danger#
Call local emergency services. Ask venue staff for help. Everything else can wait.
If someone breaks the code of conduct#
- Speak to them privately and calmly. "That comment isn't okay here. Please stop."
- If it continues, ask them to leave. Ask venue staff to help if needed.
- Support the person affected. Listen, believe them, and ask what they need. Don't pressure them to report anything.
- Write down what happened soon afterwards: date, time, what was said or done. Keep it private and factual.
- Decide on next steps with your co-organiser, such as a warning or a ban from future events.
Our code of conduct explains what's expected and how reports are handled.
If someone has been scammed#
- Be kind. It can happen to anyone, and shame stops people from speaking up.
- Encourage them to stop all contact with the scammer and not to send anything else.
- Suggest they report the account to the platform where it happened, and to local authorities if they wish.
- Warn the rest of your group, without naming the victim.
If you need help#
Contact your regional Zcash community, or use the "report this group" link on any group page to reach the site team. You can also ask the helper for guidance on handling a situation.
Safety checklist for every meetup#
Safety isn't about being nervous. It's about being thoughtful, so everyone can relax and enjoy the evening.