Thank God I didn’t ape into any of those shady OTC deals. A reminder: if it’s too good to be true, it probably isn't and is a scam. Some tips to survive and thrive in crypto: 1) Too good = no good. If someone promises you an unbelievable good deal, it's definitely a rug 2) Reputation ≠ trust. KOLs, anon accounts, even mutuals can be compromised. Vet everything and everyone. Don't trust, verify. 3) Don't rush into it. Don't rush into clicking on the latest airdrop links on X. Scammers create fake urgency. Slow down. Real good deals don’t need pressure tactics. 4) DYOR > FOMO. Fear of missing out is the #1 exploit vector. Check out their sources, where they get the deals from, verify. Don't forget you're trusting random anons on the internet. 5) Track wallets. Before OTC or token buys, scan their wallets. Red flags: dumping history, bridged scam tokens, or multiple past rugs. 6) Never click random links or connect wallet casually. One bad click can drain everything. Don't connect your hardware/cold wallet. 7) Screenshots lie. Profits, DMs, deal flow - anything can be photoshopped. Ask for tx hashes, contracts, proof or it didn’t happen.