Recovering a Mars Market Account
A Mars account is anchored by a passphrase and a mnemonic. The passphrase opens the account. The mnemonic is the only thing that recovers it if you lose the passphrase. Both belong outside the browser, on paper or an encrypted file on a separate device, because the storefront never stores a copy of either in clear form.
The mnemonic
The storefront generates the mnemonic the first time you log in. It is a set of words that reconstructs the account. Keep it somewhere that is not the same place as the browser profile you use to sign in. If the two are together, a single lost device takes both, and there is nothing to recover from.
When you are locked out
If you have the mnemonic, you restore the account from it and set a new passphrase. If you have only the passphrase, you are in, but you have no recovery, which is a risk you are carrying. If you have neither, the storefront has no support channel that can override the cryptography. An account that can be recovered by a polite message can also be hijacked by a convincing one.
The honest trade off
There is no customer service that resets your account, and that is deliberate. The same property that makes an account hard to recover makes it hard to steal. Buyers who treat the recovery material with the seriousness it deserves keep the account. Buyers who do not lose it, and the marketplace does not pretend the trade off can be softened.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can support reset my passphrase?
No. There is no channel that overrides the cryptography. The mnemonic is the only recovery.
Where should I keep the mnemonic?
Offline. Paper or an encrypted file on a separate device, not in the browser profile.
I lost both. Is the account gone?
Yes. That is the cost of an account that cannot be hijacked by a convincing message.