At 3 AM, my phone suddenly received a message from a younger brother who has been in the circle for less than half a year, with a sobbing tone: 'Bro, the money from selling USDT just arrived in the card, but before I could transfer it out, the bank card was judicially frozen!'
This is not an isolated case. Over the past two years in the crypto space, I've seen too many people fall into pitfalls due to OTC trading—mild cases involve funds being frozen for six months, while severe cases involve being called to the police station to give statements. Today, I share the '9 iron rules to prevent card freezing,' all lessons learned from real-life experiences; new friends are advised to save them well.
1. Choosing the right platform avoids half the risk
Don't trust flashy small platforms; stick to reputable institutions like 'Top Platform B' and 'Established Exchange H' that have licenses, as their compliance at least meets a baseline. More importantly, prioritize those that have 'T+1/T+2 delayed arrival'—though slow, this mechanism acts as a filter for funds; many instant arrival platforms may actually lead you into the dirty money pool.
2. Implement 'isolation policy' for bank cards
Specifically, get a 'crypto-specific card' that is completely separate from your salary and mortgage cards; it's best to choose local banks like XX Bank or XX Rural Commercial Bank. This isn't prejudice; the anti-money laundering systems of national banks are too sensitive, and the freezing speed is ten times faster than local banks. Sometimes, even clean money can be mistakenly frozen.
3. These trading taboos, just don't touch them
Don't trade frequently with the same merchant; more than 3 transactions in a single day will make the system mark it as 'suspicious.' Once the money arrives, don't transfer it out immediately; keep it in the card for at least 24 hours. Rushing to move it looks like 'money laundering operations.' Try to trade using mainstream coins like Bitcoin and Ethereum; stablecoins related to oil can be murky and may involve tainted funds.
4. Advanced life-saving techniques
Avoid trading during the early morning or late at night; operate on weekdays between 9 AM and 9 PM when bank risk control is not so tight. After funds arrive, prioritize withdrawing cash from ATMs or directly using the card for purchases to reduce transfer traces. Do not exceed three transactions per month, and avoid single transactions over 50,000; it’s safer than multiple small amounts—frequent small transactions resemble 'robbing Peter to pay Paul.'
Here are a few painful examples: Some friends, for convenience, used their salary cards to receive USDT, and their entire accounts were frozen, almost missing their mortgage payments; someone transferred several thousand for three consecutive days to 'test the card,' triggering anti-money laundering models, and was frozen for six months before being released; even 'blue shield merchants' had accidents; it's best to check the merchant's transaction count over the past 30 days before trading; those with fewer than 100 transactions are relatively safe.
Making money in the crypto world is hard, but keeping it is even harder. These rules may seem troublesome, but when you encounter a freeze, you'll realize that waiting an extra day or changing a card could help you avoid a big hassle.
However, I’ve been thinking lately: while we carefully study 'how not to get frozen,' shouldn’t we also ask—where in the industry chain are the dirty money that makes OTC trading so nerve-wracking hiding? How much longer do we regular traders have to live in fear of 'frozen cards'?
