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News Topical, Digital Desk : UPI Auto Pay Scam: As we are moving towards digitalization, online payment has become a part of our everyday life. Whether it is sending money to someone or paying a bill, payment is done instantly through Unified Payments Interface (UPI). It is so easy and convenient that it is becoming the first choice of people.
UPI is becoming the first choice of people
According to the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), transactions worth about Rs 20.64 lakh crore were done through UPI in 2024. In January 2025, a total of more than Rs 23.48 lakh crore was transacted with 16.99 billion transactions. However, as we know that every coin has two sides. Along with the specialty of UPI, it also has some disadvantages. The more it is being used, the more cases of fraud are coming to the fore.
Cyber thugs are adopting new tricks
The UPI system has made transactions easier through QR code or UPI ID, but cyber thugs are emptying people's bank accounts in minutes by adopting various tricks. Today we are going to tell you about a new scam - UPI auto-pay request.
Many times people do not remember the date of mobile recharge, insurance payment, credit card bill, electricity bill, loan payment. To solve this problem, NPCI launched the 'UPI Auto-Pay' feature in 2020. In this, money is automatically deducted from the account on the due date with the approval of the users. This also ensures timely payment and there is no late payment.
How is the fraud being committed?
- Now since money is automatically deducted in UPI auto-pay, cyber thugs are trapping people by sending 'auto-pay requests'. Cyber criminals are tricking users into accepting payment requests. Either they are sending fake links via SMS, email or on social media, on clicking which money gets deducted.
- Scammers are calling people pretending to be bank or UPI customer care officials and are cheating them. They ask the user to enter a PIN to activate auto-pay and after entering the PIN, all the money is being deducted from the account.
- People are also being lured with the promise of cheap subscription. By making the payment once, the setting to transfer money from the bank every month is automatically done.
- Apart from this, auto-pay requests are also being accepted by luring people with cashback and auto pay. Therefore, avoid clicking on unknown links out of greed. If you are a victim of fraud, click on the option of 'Report Fraud' or 'Report Dispute' in the UPI app itself and register your complaint. If you want, you can also submit a written complaint to the bank.
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