Yesterday, a friend went all-in on RIVER. After opening the position, the coin price suddenly surged, and he was overjoyed, thinking he had seized the opportunity. But in less than ten minutes, the price sharply reversed, and his account was liquidated.

He couldn't understand why: he clearly predicted the market direction correctly, so why did he still lose everything?

I told him a harsh truth: you didn't lose to the market; you stepped into someone else's carefully crafted trap.

Many people are obsessed with technical analysis but forget to see the human psychology behind the market. The manipulators thrive on this—they exploit retail traders' greed and fear, reaping profits round after round.

**What are common tricks? Knowing these can help you avoid many pitfalls:**

**1. Fake Breakouts to Trap Bulls/Bears** — The price suddenly breaks out, but the trading volume doesn't follow, then quickly reverses. Pure false moves designed to trigger chasing and panic selling, then reverse to clear positions.

**2. "Launch Trap" After Long Sideways Movement** — After prolonged consolidation, a small rally suddenly occurs. Retail traders jump in, only to be dumped on, with panic sellers being bought up at low prices.

**3. "Long and Short Double Kill" in Futures Markets** — First, a rally clears out shorts, then a rapid decline clears out longs. Extreme volatility is common in futures markets, and simultaneously harvesting both sides earns transaction fees.

**4. Creating Fake On-Chain "Good News"** — Large transfers, fake whale wallet activity, creating illusions of capital inflow. Retail traders follow the trend and then directly sell off.

**5. Low Volatility Grinding** — Price hardly moves, seeming calm and stable, but in reality, manipulators are constantly buying low and selling high at the order book, slowly eroding your principal and patience.

**6. Spike and Sweep Losses** — When futures prices diverge from spot prices, extreme price triggers cause a large number of stop-loss orders to be hit instantly, completing the harvest.

Always remember this: when market sentiment is highly unified and enthusiasm peaks, that is often the most dangerous moment.

The real risk isn't in the candlestick charts but in human nature.

If you keep losing in these tricks, you need to stop and reflect: are you truly trading, or are you being traded?