Surat: A 46-year-old crypto trader from Mahidharpura in the city, Hasmukh Patel, was allegedly duped of Rs 28.80 lakh in a USDT (a form of cryptocurrency) trading scam involving individuals based in India and Dubai. Mahidharpura police have registered a case and launched an investigation.Patel, who had been trading in USDT for the past year, had travelled to Dubai for business, where he was introduced to a trader named Imran Polra through a contact, Latifbhai. After returning to Surat, Patel continued trading via a crypto app and stayed in touch with Polra.According to the FIR, three months ago, Polra introduced Patel to another trader, Sahil alias Raul, assuring him that Sahil would handle the payment for a USDT transaction. Sahil requested USDT worth Rs 29.80 lakh and informed Patel that the payment would be processed through a trader named Kunal, based in Sachin.Trusting the arrangement, Patel transferred the USDT to Sahil. He later visited Kunal, who told him that he would release the payment only after receiving a confirmation message from Sahil. However, Kunal subsequently refused to make the payment, claiming he never received any such message. Despite multiple follow-ups, Patel did not receive the promised funds, prompting him to file a police complaint against Polra and Sahil.Mahidharpura police have initiated an investigation and are verifying the crypto transactions and communications between the parties involved.
