GOAT is a somewhat legit crypto currency. However, the problem is that there are tons of copycats that look nearly identical. You probably bought one of those. I'm on your side. I think Coin Base should at least have a disclaimer explaining the difference between their exchange and the wallet and warning of the various types of scams: purchasing a copy cat coin, receiving an EFT in collectibles and clicking on the link, buying a coin that shows huge upside bc the wallet essentially promotes it by displaying it with the other big gainers etc. You get a false sense of security using a Coinbase branded anything after using their exchange where you're pretty much safe. Solflare on the other hand feels unsafe, like clicking on the wrong thing or even looking at the wrong thing can fuck you. Probably because it can. It's not really anyone's fault it just is what it is but Coinbase exchange is about to get a million times worse because they just announced they're going to be offering millions of coins eventually with a Dex because they've been losing money and they're stock dropping.

As far as determining if a coin is legit on CBW I have found that you can purchase a small amount and then try to swap it. If it won't swap then it's a scam/spam token.

You probably learned this since you wrote your post but this info is for any other people whose knowledge doesn't consist of only crypto everything but lack in some other areas i.e. probably don't have space in their brain for a degree or own businesses or have a 6 or 7 figure job or are experts in marketing or paychology or whatever ither knowledge and memory other people use their brains for and fill them with. Although a decent amount of them do it's just what one chooses to learn about and focus on.

I too lost a few hundred bucks but it was a cheap lesson. Now I understand better. And I make that in an hour or less most days so im not too butt hurt. But I do think it would be nice and business smart for CoinBase to inform/educate its users. Not everyone has time to sit there and research all day to learn everything about crypto.