UPI and Online Payment Safety Checklist
Use UPI and online payments safely by avoiding common fraud methods.
The 5 golden rules of UPI
- UPI PIN is only for sending money. You never need a PIN, OTP or QR scan to receive money.
- Never share UPI PIN, OTP, card CVV or screen with anyone – not even someone claiming to be from your bank, police or customer care.
- Read the screen before entering the PIN: the amount and the name of the receiver.
- Use only official apps from Play Store/App Store and never install “screen sharing” apps (AnyDesk, TeamViewer, QuickSupport) on a stranger’s request.
- Report fraud immediately: call 1930 or file at cybercrime.gov.in, and inform your bank.
Common UPI scams and how they work
| Scam | What the fraudster says | The truth |
|---|---|---|
| Collect request / “refund” | “I sent you a request to receive your refund, just enter PIN.” | Entering the PIN on a collect request sends your money. |
| QR code for payment | “Scan this QR to get ₹5,000 for your OLX item.” | Scanning and paying from a QR always sends money. |
| Wrong transfer | “I sent ₹10,000 to you by mistake, please return it.” (a fake SMS) | Check your bank balance/app, not the SMS. Real reversals go through the bank. |
| Fake customer care | A number found on Google/social media asks you to install an app to “fix” a failed payment. | Use only numbers from the official app or website. Never install remote-access apps. |
| KYC/account block | “Your account will be blocked today, update KYC from this link.” | Banks do not block accounts through SMS links. Visit the branch or official app. |
| Task/job scam | “Like videos and earn; pay a small fee to unlock bigger tasks.” | Any job that asks you to pay first is a scam – see fake job scams. |
Safety settings to turn on today
- Set a screen lock (PIN/fingerprint) on the phone and an app lock in your UPI app.
- Set a daily UPI limit lower than the default if you rarely send large amounts (in your bank/UPI app settings).
- Turn on SMS and email alerts for every transaction from your bank.
- Keep a separate bank account with a small balance for UPI and online shopping.
- Update the phone and UPI apps; do not use UPI on rooted/jail-broken phones.
For shopkeepers
- Use a sound box or check the app for every payment – do not trust a customer’s screenshot or “payment done” screen.
- Check that your printed QR has not been covered by someone else’s sticker.
- Never scan a customer’s QR code to “receive” money.
If money is taken: act in the first hour
- Call 1930 (National Cyber Crime Helpline) immediately and give the transaction ID (UTR), date, amount and the fraudster’s UPI ID/number.
- File a complaint on cybercrime.gov.in → Report Cyber Crime → Financial fraud; note the acknowledgement number.
- Inform your bank through the official app/helpline and ask them to block UPI/cards if needed. Under RBI rules, reporting an unauthorised electronic transaction quickly (within 3 working days) helps you claim zero liability.
- Report the fraud number/message on Sanchar Saathi (sancharsaathi.gov.in → Chakshu).
- Keep screenshots of messages, call logs and the transaction.
Faster reporting gives the best chance of the money being frozen in the fraudster’s account before it is withdrawn.
Teach your family
Most victims are not careless – they are rushed or frightened by a caller. Agree on one family rule: “No money, PIN or OTP over the phone. We call back on the official number first.” Read more: UPI scam safety and OTP fraud protection.
UPI के 5 सुनहरे नियम
- UPI PIN सिर्फ़ पैसे भेजने के लिए है। पैसे पाने के लिए कभी PIN, OTP या QR scan की ज़रूरत नहीं होती।
- UPI PIN, OTP, card CVV या screen किसी के साथ कभी share न करें – बैंक, police या customer care बताने वाले के साथ भी नहीं।
- PIN डालने से पहले screen पढ़ें: रक़म और पाने वाले का नाम।
- सिर्फ़ आधिकारिक apps Play Store/App Store से, और किसी अजनबी के कहने पर “screen sharing” apps (AnyDesk, TeamViewer, QuickSupport) कभी install न करें।
- Fraud तुरंत report करें: 1930 पर call करें या cybercrime.gov.in पर शिकायत दें, और बैंक को बताएँ।
आम UPI scams और वे कैसे होते हैं
| Scam | ठग क्या कहता है | सच |
|---|---|---|
| Collect request / “refund” | “मैंने refund पाने की request भेजी है, बस PIN डालें।” | Collect request पर PIN डालने से आपका पैसा चला जाता है। |
| Payment के लिए QR code | “OLX item के ₹5,000 पाने के लिए यह QR scan करें।” | QR scan करके pay करने से हमेशा पैसा जाता है। |
| ग़लत transfer | “मैंने ग़लती से ₹10,000 आपको भेज दिए, वापस कर दीजिए।” (नकली SMS) | SMS नहीं, अपना bank balance/app देखें। असली वापसी बैंक के ज़रिए होती है। |
| नकली customer care | Google/social media पर मिला number असफल payment “ठीक” करने के लिए app install करवाता है। | सिर्फ़ आधिकारिक app या website के numbers। Remote-access apps कभी install न करें। |
| KYC/account block | “आज आपका account block होगा, इस link से KYC update करें।” | Banks SMS links से account block नहीं करते। Branch या आधिकारिक app पर जाएँ। |
| Task/job scam | “Videos like करके कमाएँ; बड़े tasks के लिए छोटी fee दें।” | पहले पैसा माँगने वाली हर नौकरी scam है – नकली job scams देखें। |
आज ही चालू करने वाली safety settings
- Phone पर screen lock (PIN/fingerprint) और UPI app में app lock लगाएँ।
- बड़ी रक़म कम भेजते हों तो daily UPI limit default से कम रखें (bank/UPI app settings में)।
- हर transaction के लिए बैंक से SMS और email alerts चालू करें।
- UPI और online shopping के लिए कम balance वाला अलग bank account रखें।
- Phone और UPI apps update रखें; rooted/jail-broken phones पर UPI न चलाएँ।
दुकानदारों के लिए
- हर payment के लिए sound box इस्तेमाल करें या app जाँचें – customer के screenshot या “payment done” screen पर भरोसा न करें।
- जाँचें कि आपके छपे QR पर किसी ने अपना sticker तो नहीं चिपकाया।
- पैसे “पाने” के लिए customer का QR code कभी scan न करें।
पैसा चला जाए: पहले घंटे में कार्रवाई करें
- तुरंत 1930 (National Cyber Crime Helpline) पर call करके transaction ID (UTR), date, रक़म और ठग की UPI ID/number बताएँ।
- cybercrime.gov.in → Report Cyber Crime → Financial fraud पर शिकायत दें; acknowledgement number नोट करें।
- आधिकारिक app/helpline से बैंक को बताएँ और ज़रूरत हो तो UPI/cards block करवाएँ। RBI नियमों के अनुसार unauthorised electronic transaction जल्दी (3 working days में) report करने से zero liability पाने में मदद मिलती है।
- Fraud number/message Sanchar Saathi (sancharsaathi.gov.in → Chakshu) पर report करें।
- Messages, call logs और transaction के screenshots रखें।
जितनी जल्दी report करेंगे, पैसा निकाले जाने से पहले ठग के account में freeze होने की उतनी अच्छी संभावना।
परिवार को सिखाएँ
ज़्यादातर पीड़ित लापरवाह नहीं होते – caller उन्हें जल्दबाज़ी में डालता या डराता है। परिवार का एक नियम तय करें: “Phone पर कोई पैसा, PIN या OTP नहीं। पहले आधिकारिक number पर वापस call करेंगे।” और पढ़ें: UPI scam safety और OTP fraud protection।
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to enter my UPI PIN to receive money?
No. Never. A UPI PIN is needed only to send money or check the balance. Anyone asking you to enter a PIN to receive money is a fraudster.
What should I do immediately after a UPI fraud?
Call 1930, file a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in, inform your bank through the official channel, and keep all proof. Speed matters.
Is it safe to scan any QR code to pay?
Scan only QR codes from known shops and always check the receiver name shown in the app before entering the PIN. Never scan a QR code someone sends to “give” you money.
