Scammers in Venezuela Use Fake USDT Tokens to Defraud Merchants

Scammers are tricking Venezuelan merchants by sending cloned USDT tokens with a different smart contract address into self-custody wallets. The tokens appear to settle payments but are worthless, prompting warnings to verify Tether’s official contract address or use platforms that only credit valid USDT.
AI Analysis
The summary describes a fraud involving fake USDT tokens that causes merchants to hand over goods without receiving value. It directly affects USDT usage and highlights a payment security risk, which can influence short-term trading sentiment and trust.