New Delhi: Digital payments have become the way of our life in the new normal, but one cannot undermine the downside of using UPI payment apps including GPay, Paytm, PhonePe and others.
Even as the payment apps offer us convenience during transactions, you have to be careful of UPI payment safety tips and tricks to avoid falling prey to cyber frauds.
The use of Unified Payments Interface (UPI) throughout the nation has jumped 70 times in the last four years as Indian customers have now migrated large time to raised expertise platform like UPI that doesn’t require the intervention of a POS machine and issue authentications, according to an analysis by State Bank of India.
From grocery stores of your locality to shopping malls or even vendors, everyone has started accepting payments through digital mode. Some of the things to consider during such transactions are not to click on random links, respond to fraud calls, share essential transaction details like a PIN number, password, etc.
Here are steps to follow during UPI transaction
Remember not to share PIN: One of the foremost things is to never share your PIN even if it’s a friend, family member, or someone you trust. It is because sharing PINs can make you vulnerable to fraud. Also, in case you have shared it with anyone make sure to change it immediately.
Make strong passwords: It is also important to lock your phone and payment apps using strong passwords. Remember to avoid using simple passwords such as your name, date of birth, mobile number, etc. Use a combination of letters, numbers, and characters to make the password stronger.
Never click on unverified links: There are times when we receive fake messages from unverified accounts or numbers containing links on our phone and email. Make sure not to click on them because fraudsters try to offer lucrative deals asking you to divulge PIN, OTP, etc. The imposter can pretend to be calling from your bank or some other organisation and can ask to share details. Many individuals have fallen victim to such transaction/Cyber fraud by clicking on these links or answering such calls.
Avoid using multiple apps: Try to keep the transaction mode simple. It is important thing is to use a trusted and verified payment application. Using multiple apps increases the chances of fraud.
Update UPI App regularly: Every application requires an update and each update brings better features and benefits. You should always keep updating the UPI payment app to the latest version.