Learn ›

How to Spot Scams: UPI, OTP and Fake News Safety

By the Chundu Laboratories team · 4 min read · Updated 24 October 2026

Online fraud has grown along with digital payments. Most scams do not need any hacking at all; they work by rushing or frightening people into doing something themselves, like sharing an OTP or approving a payment. The good news is that a handful of rules stops the vast majority of them.

Five rules that block most frauds

• Never share an OTP, UPI PIN, card CVV or password with anyone, including someone who says they are from your bank, the police or a delivery company. Real banks do not ask for these.
• You never need to enter your UPI PIN to receive money. If an app asks for your PIN, you are sending money, whatever the caller says.
• Do not scan a QR code sent by a stranger to "receive" a payment. Scanning a QR code is for paying.
• Do not install screen-sharing or remote-access apps because a caller told you to. These let a fraudster see and control your phone.
• Slow down. Scams depend on urgency: "your account will be blocked in 30 minutes", "your parcel has drugs in it", "last chance". Pressure to act right now is itself a warning sign.

Common scams and their giveaways

Fake customer care: you search for a helpline number online and call one posted by fraudsters. Use only numbers from the company's official app or website.

KYC update or account-blocked messages: an SMS says your bank account, SIM or electricity connection will be cut off unless you click a link or call a number. Banks and utilities do not work through random links. Open the official app yourself instead.

"Digital arrest": a caller pretends to be from the police, CBI, customs or a courier company, says you are linked to a crime and keeps you on a video call while demanding money to "clear your name". Government agencies have repeatedly warned that there is no such thing as arrest over a video call. Hang up.

Job and task scams: easy money for liking videos or writing reviews. They pay small amounts at first, then ask you to "invest" to unlock bigger earnings. You will not get that money back.

Investment and trading tips groups: WhatsApp or Telegram groups promising guaranteed high returns or showing fake profit screenshots. Genuine investments never guarantee big returns.

Lottery, prize and refund messages: you "won" something you never entered, or a refund needs a small fee first. Any prize that requires payment is fake.

Relative-in-trouble calls: a voice claims to be a family member who needs money urgently. Voice-cloning tools make this more convincing. Hang up and call the person back on the number you already know.

Spotting fake news and fake forwards

Misinformation spreads the same way scams do: through emotion and urgency.

• Be suspicious of messages that make you very angry or very scared, especially with "forward to everyone".
• Check whether trusted news outlets are reporting the same thing.
• For government claims, look for the official source, such as the ministry's website or the PIB Fact Check account.
• Reverse-search images. A real photo from years ago is often reused with a false caption.
• Remember that AI can now generate realistic images, voices and videos. A clip looking real is no longer proof.

If something goes wrong

Act fast; the first hour matters most.

• Call the National Cyber Crime Helpline 1930, or report at cybercrime.gov.in. Quick reports give the best chance of freezing the money.
• Call your bank using the number in its official app or on the back of your card, and block your card or UPI.
• Change passwords for any account you think was exposed, starting with email.
• Keep screenshots of messages, numbers and transaction IDs.
• Under RBI rules, reporting an unauthorised transaction to your bank quickly, ideally within three working days, greatly improves your protection.

You can also report suspicious calls and messages through the Chakshu facility on the government's Sanchar Saathi portal.

Talk about it

Scammers target people who are busy, new to digital payments or living alone. Share these rules with parents, grandparents and younger siblings. A five-minute conversation can save someone their savings, and nobody should feel ashamed for being targeted. These tricks are designed by professionals to fool smart people.

Spotted a mistake? Email hello@chundulabs.in. Have a question? Ask Jivra.