I haven't been using this bot for long, but once I read this post Lightning P2P Bot 🤖 ⚠️ Avoid SCAMMERS and other recommendations before using it, I followed every indication to be as cautious as possible.
Yesterday I received an order from a user who hadn't had any transactions. I found it strange, but I didn't think anything of it since we're all new at some point. The order was for a purchase of S/770 ($214). I correctly paid the bot the invoice, making sure I had that security image on the QR code. After I contacted this scumbag and gave him my information so he could proceed with the transfer, he told me, "Sorry for wasting my time, but I have S/700 available in BCP to purchase." That immediately raised a small alarm in me. I wondered what kind of person takes an order without knowing whether or not they have the money available.
I really started to get stressed at that point. I hate being wasted, but it's okay, these things happen. We canceled together, and the bot immediately returned my sats.
This person said they would take my order again, but this time for the correct amount. It took exactly an hour for me to receive a notification on Telegram that it wasn't the official bot to pay a bill for S/700 in sats. I immediately blocked both users, the fake bot and the scammer.
Three simple actions saved me from being scammed yesterday: highlighting the conversation with the official Bot, setting a unique sound for its notifications, and looking at the QR code image.
I want to emphasize the importance of SN in the comfort of those of us who use Bitcoin. The importance of reading every guide and other people's experiences.
Yesterday I was browsing the general lnp2p Help chat in Spanish, and they have a good list of recommendations. Among them, I was struck by the fact that there's a Darhcoin guide #77060, not because it's his work we already know he's a go-to when it comes to finding good guides but because it's a guide with an SN link. I think it's the first time I've seen an SN link in another community.
I will share here the resources that are in the help chat:
To learn about Bitcoin and the Lightning Network, you just need to know how to search in the best places!🔸 We recommend this super short video (5 min) in Spanish 😁 about how the Lightning Network works:
🔸 Comparison between Bitcoin on-chain and the Lightning Network:
🔸 The following post includes a comparison of several LN wallets. Taken from @btcguides:🔸 Highly recommended for learning about LN and other aspects of Bitcoin:🔸 Comparison table of various LN wallets:🔸 Another comparison of LN wallets, by DarthCoin on @btcguides:🔸 Types of wallets LN:
🔸 We also recommend following Lunaticoin's podcasts and YouTube channel:🔸 About how payment channels work on LN (technical):
🔸 Resources to learn about BTC/LN, by DarthCoin (in English and Spanish)