OpenRate Research
Everything we've learned about P2P crypto in India
108 articles on tax, regulation, exchange specifics, payment rails, arbitrage, and how to avoid the scams that show up on every UPI receipt screenshot.
P2P crypto scams in India: 7 patterns and how to avoid them
Fake UPI receipts, chargeback-after-release, KYC phishing, third-party payments — the seven repeating patterns of P2P scams in India and the defences that work.
How to verify a UPI payment before releasing USDT
A bank credit confirmation, not a screenshot, is what counts. Here's the 60-second verification routine every seller should run.
What do I do when a P2P trade goes into dispute?
Stay calm, gather evidence, raise the dispute through the platform, never communicate off-platform. Compliance reads documentation; documented sides win.
Is Binance's dispute resolution actually fair?
Mostly yes — compliance teams across major venues rule based on documentation. The 'unfair' losses usually trace to weak evidence on the losing side.
What's the 'frozen funds' risk in P2P?
If your counterparty's bank gets investigated for crime, your incoming UPI from them can be flagged and frozen. Here's how the risk transfers.
How to spot a fake or compromised merchant
New account, low completion, sudden price aggression, unusual payment-method requests — the warning signs are consistent.
Account takeover attacks on Indian P2P traders
ATO via SIM swap, OTP theft, or password reuse is the worst-case outcome. Here's how to harden your exchange and bank logins against it.
Romance/pig-butchering scams targeting Indian P2P users
Long-running scams where 'investment partners' on dating apps walk you into fraudulent crypto platforms. Hundreds of crores lost annually in India.
Are Telegram/WhatsApp P2P 'groups' safe to trade in?
No. Off-platform P2P has zero escrow, zero recourse, and a long history of scam-and-vanish operations.
The 12-point P2P safety checklist
Print this. Tape it next to your trading screen. The most common losses come from skipping items on it.