I Lost 2,000 USD Because of a Click in P2P Trading — A Costly Lesson Learned

Hello everyone,

Today, I write this article not to complain, but to share a bitter lesson that I have just experienced — in the hope of warning anyone who is or will be trading P2P. 🗓️ How Did the Story Happen? A few months ago, I listed a quantity of USDT on the P2P platform of a major exchange (Binance). As usual, a buyer contacted me quite quickly. 📌 The buyer's profile looks perfect: ✅ Completed over 97% of transactions ✅ Hundreds of positive reviews ✅ Fully verified identity account ✅ Polite chat, quick response After I entered the quantity to sell and provided my bank account information, the buyer reported that he had transferred the money. Almost immediately afterward, he sent a screenshot of the successful transfer transaction.

🧾 The photo looks very real: Bank logo Clear transaction code Exact matching date and time Sender's name matches P2P account

Because I had traded many times before and this person has a high reputation, I was complacent and pressed the "Confirm that I have received the money" button WITHOUT checking the bank account. 💥 The Harsh Truth: Money Never Comes Back I waited for about 10 minutes and did not see any notification from the bank.

Then 30 minutes... then 1 hour... still nothing. I started to have doubts and immediately called the bank's hotline to check — and received a chilling response: "Your account has no money transfer transactions today." I hurried back to P2P to contact the buyer and then discovered:

He blocked me. The account disappeared from the list. I immediately contacted the Binance support team, but because I confirmed the transaction, the system defaults to assume that I have received the money and cannot intervene. 💔 I Lost 2,000 USD in Just a Few Minutes I was deceived in a sophisticated way. This is not the system's fault, but my fault — for being hasty and careless. 🔍 These Are The Deadly Mistakes I Have Made: ❌ Do not trust screenshots — something that can easily be edited with emulation software or Photoshop.

❌ Do not directly check the bank account.

❌ Rushing to confirm because thinking that a reputable buyer is fine.

❌ Ignore a few "small signs" like the buyer urging me to confirm quickly because of "urgent work." 🚨 Key Takeaway — How to Protect Yourself When Trading P2P? 🔒 These are the immutable principles you need to remember: 1️⃣ Only confirm the transaction when the MONEY has entered the bank account. Don't trust fake bank SMS. Don't trust screenshots. You must open the app or internet banking, check the balance and transaction history carefully. 2️⃣ Absolutely DO NOT let the buyer create time pressure Anyone who rushes you to confirm quickly, saying something like "I'll confirm first, and you transfer immediately," is 90% likely a sign of fraud. 3️⃣ Prioritize trading with accounts that have identity verification + a rich trading history But you should not trust completely, as old accounts can be hacked, rented, or impersonated. 4️⃣ Large amount transactions? Break it down If you are selling 2,000 USD, divide it into 3-4 smaller parts, which will both limit risk and allow you to control each step. 5️⃣ Record the transaction process if necessary Especially if something is "not right", use your phone to screen record to keep evidence. 🔚 End I lost 2,000 USD — not because the exchange was insecure, but because I trusted people too quickly and acted too carelessly.

Just one mistimed click, you could pay the price of an entire month's salary or more. P2P is a double-edged sword. Fast, convenient — but extremely dangerous if not careful. 🙏 I hope this article will help someone avoid the trap I fell into.

If you find it helpful, please share to protect the crypto community from scammers lurking every minute.