HIGH banking
Is “got a whatsapp message about upi cashback is it fake” a scam?
Yes — this is a known, dangerous scam.
A WhatsApp message or app notification claiming to be from Google Pay, PhonePe, or Paytm says you have a cashback of ₹500–₹2,500 waiting. To "claim" it you must scan a QR or enter your UPI PIN. Entering the PIN deducts the amount from your account.
How to tell
- ⚠ Real UPI cashback is credited automatically — it never asks you to enter your PIN to receive money
- ⚠ Message comes from WhatsApp or a third-party number — not from inside the UPI app
- ⚠ Cashback amount is suspiciously specific (₹2,143) to look real
- ⚠ QR code or 'collect request' opens your UPI app with a payment screen, not a receive screen
What to do right now
- 1 Never enter your UPI PIN to RECEIVE money. UPI PIN is only ever entered to send money
- 2 Genuine cashback from Google Pay / PhonePe / Paytm appears as a notification inside the app's transaction history, with no action needed from you
- 3 If you see a 'collect request' or 'payment screen' when claiming cashback — that is the scam. Cancel and block
- 4 If you entered your PIN, contact your bank's fraud line within minutes and block UPI temporarily through your bank's app
- 5 Report at https://cybercrime.gov.in or call 1930 (national cyber helpline).
Full guidance, red flags, variants & official sources
"Google Pay" message says you won cashback — enter your UPI PIN →