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UPI PIN Fraud: How Scammers Steal Money and Stay Safe
A UPI PIN is like a secret key that approves money being sent from your bank account.
Scammers try to trick people into using that key.
They may pretend to be bank workers, customer-care agents, buyers, or sellers.
They might say you need to enter your PIN to get a refund, cashback, prize, or payment.
In reality, entering the PIN approves money leaving your account.
You never need a UPI PIN to receive money.
Do not share your PIN or OTP with anyone.
Reject payment requests from people you do not know.
If something seems suspicious, report it through the Cyber Crime Portal or by calling 1930.
UPI PIN scams use deception to trick people into authorising payments from their bank accounts.
Scammers may pose as bank officials, customer-care workers, buyers, or sellers through calls, messages, and social media.
A collect request, QR code, refund, cashback, or prize can be used to make victims enter their PIN.
A UPI PIN is required to send money, not to receive it; legitimate organisations also do not request PINs or OTPs.
Users should reject unknown collect requests, avoid remote-access apps, and report fraud through the Cyber Crime Portal or helpline 1930.
- Who
- Scammers target UPI users while pretending to be bank officials, customer-care workers, buyers, sellers, or other trusted contacts.
- What
- Fraudsters use deceptive payment requests, QR codes, and false refund or cashback claims to trick victims into authorising unauthorised transactions.
- Where
- Through phone calls, SMS, social networking apps, social media, and online payment applications.
- When
- Why
- To persuade victims to enter their UPI PIN and transfer money to the fraudsters.
Key facts
- Core warning
- A UPI PIN is used to send money, never to receive it.
- Common disguise
- Scammers may pose as bank officials, customer-care executives, online buyers, or sellers.
- Fraud methods
- Collect requests, QR codes, fake refunds, cashbacks, prizes, and account-blocking threats.
- Information to protect
- Never share your UPI PIN, OTP, or bank details.
- Recommended action
- Decline unknown collect requests and avoid installing unfamiliar screen-sharing or remote-access apps.
- Cyber fraud reporting
- Report online fraud through cybercrime.gov.in or helpline 1930.
- Other reporting channel
- Suspicious calls and messages can be reported through sancharsaathi.gov.in.
Sources
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