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Before you open the trade

Check the counterparty stats Completion rate above 95%, hundreds of finished orders, account older than a few months. New accounts with perfect scores are the classic setup.
Compare the rate to the market A price noticeably better than every other ad is bait, not luck. Open three ads and compare before choosing.
Read the ad terms in full Payment window, accepted banks, whether the seller demands anything unusual. Terms that push you off-platform are a reason to close the tab.
Start small on a first trade With a new counterparty, trade an amount you would not mind losing. Trust is cheaper to buy in small pieces.

While the trade is open

Keep everything inside the exchange Chat, payment proof, disputes. The moment you move to WhatsApp or Telegram, escrow cannot protect you and support cannot help.
Pay from an account in your own name Third-party transfers get flagged, and the money can be frozen on someone else’s complaint. The name on the account must match your verified name.
Check the recipient name matches Before sending, confirm the bank details belong to the verified counterparty, not to a third person they added in chat.
Never release crypto on a screenshot When selling, only release after the money is visible in your own banking app. Receipts and SMS alerts are trivial to fake.

Confirm the balance actually moved Refresh your bank app and the exchange balance. A pending transfer is not a completed one.
Keep the records Save the order ID, statements and receipts. They are what you show in a dispute — and what your accountant will ask for at tax time.
Turn on the security basics Two-factor with an authenticator app, withdrawal address whitelist, anti-phishing code. Ten minutes once, protection forever.
Move long-term holdings off the exchange Keep trading funds on the platform, move savings to a wallet you control. Do not keep everything in one place.