Made this after seeing too many beginners lose their first deposit in the same 5 ways. Saving you the pain:

1. "Support" DMs you first. Real exchanges never slide into your DMs to "help" with an issue you didn't report. If someone messages you first offering help, block them.

1. Urgency + a countdown timer. "Your wallet will be locked in 10 minutes unless you verify." Scammers manufacture panic so you skip your normal judgment. Legit platforms don't threaten deadlines like this.

1. Any request to "verify" by sending crypto first. There is no legitimate reason you'd ever send funds to "unlock," "verify," or "activate" your own wallet or account. This is the #1 rug tactic.

1. Wallet connect requests from random NFT/airdrop links. If a site asks you to connect your wallet just to "check eligibility" for a surprise airdrop, assume it's a drainer until proven otherwise. Check contract addresses on a block explorer first.

1. Guaranteed returns / "risk-free" language. No legitimate crypto opportunity guarantees profit. This phrase alone should end the conversation.

The pattern behind all 5: scammers create urgency and bypass your normal verification steps. Slow down, verify independently (never through a link they sent you), and you'll avoid ~90% of scams targeting new buyers.

Built a full checklist + playbook covering these in more depth if anyone wants the deeper walkthrough — happy to answer questions here too.