What are the red flags of this scam?

The app promises a fixed daily return percentage (0.10%–0.30%) on your cash deposit — no legitimate regulated investment in India guarantees fixed daily returns • A referral commission structure rewards you for recruiting others, often across multiple levels — this is an MLM pyramid, not a real investment platform • The app was not promoted by a SEBI-registered broker or investment adviser — it appeared through social media ads or word of mouth from friends and family • Initial withdrawals of small amounts succeed, building confidence before the app blocks larger withdrawals • Withdrawals are later blocked, delayed for 'verification', or require payment of a 'tax', 'processing fee', or 'upgrade fee' to release funds • The app is on the Google Play Store, but the publisher name, SEBI registration, and company address are unverifiable or missing • A 'dashboard' shows your balance growing daily, but this balance is fictitious — no underlying regulated instrument generates those returns

What should I do if this happened to me?

Stop depositing immediately — every additional deposit is lost, and fees demanded to 'release' your balance are a second layer of theft • Screenshot all transaction records, the app's dashboard, payment receipts, and any referral communications before the app is taken down • File a complaint at https://cybercrime.gov.in or call 1930 — include all screenshots and UPI transaction IDs; Cyber Crime Police have jurisdiction to freeze mule accounts • Contact your bank's fraud helpline to flag the UPI or net-banking transactions and attempt a recall — speed matters before funds are layered • Verify any investment app's legitimacy at SEBI's registered intermediaries list at https://www.sebi.gov.in/sebiweb/other/OtherAction.do?doRecognisedFpi=yes&intmId=13 before investing • Report at https://cybercrime.gov.in or call 1930 (national cyber helpline).

HIGH investment Last reported: 2 Oct 2026 Share

Mobile investment app on Google Play promises fixed daily returns then blocks all withdrawals

Q: Is this a scam?

Yes. This is a documented scam pattern. A mobile investment app (SD Pay, Apna Pay) on Google Play promises guaranteed daily percentage returns and a 15-layer referral bonus. Deposits are accepted for weeks, then withdrawals are blocked and the app eventually shuts down.

A mobile investment app (SD Pay, Apna Pay) on Google Play promises guaranteed daily percentage returns and a 15-layer referral bonus. Deposits are accepted for weeks, then withdrawals are blocked and the app eventually shuts down.

Also known as: SD Pay scam, Apna Pay investment fraud, fake daily return investment app, guaranteed daily return app Ponzi, MLM investment app fraud India, daily earning investment app fraud

Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes

Call 1930 now

1 Call 1930 — the national cyber-crime helpline — right now. The sooner you report, the better the chance of freezing the money before it moves.
2 Call your bank to freeze the account and block the card immediately. Use the number printed on your card, never a number from the message or caller.
3 File a report at cybercrime.gov.in and keep every message, screenshot, and transaction ID.

What to do right now

1 Stop depositing immediately — every additional deposit is lost, and fees demanded to 'release' your balance are a second layer of theft
2 Screenshot all transaction records, the app's dashboard, payment receipts, and any referral communications before the app is taken down
3 File a complaint at https://cybercrime.gov.in or call 1930 — include all screenshots and UPI transaction IDs; Cyber Crime Police have jurisdiction to freeze mule accounts
4 Contact your bank's fraud helpline to flag the UPI or net-banking transactions and attempt a recall — speed matters before funds are layered
5 Verify any investment app's legitimacy at SEBI's registered intermediaries list at https://www.sebi.gov.in/sebiweb/other/OtherAction.do?doRecognisedFpi=yes&intmId=13 before investing
6 Report at https://cybercrime.gov.in or call 1930 (national cyber helpline).

Red flags

⚠ The app promises a fixed daily return percentage (0.10%–0.30%) on your cash deposit — no legitimate regulated investment in India guarantees fixed daily returns
⚠ A referral commission structure rewards you for recruiting others, often across multiple levels — this is an MLM pyramid, not a real investment platform
⚠ The app was not promoted by a SEBI-registered broker or investment adviser — it appeared through social media ads or word of mouth from friends and family
⚠ Initial withdrawals of small amounts succeed, building confidence before the app blocks larger withdrawals
⚠ Withdrawals are later blocked, delayed for 'verification', or require payment of a 'tax', 'processing fee', or 'upgrade fee' to release funds
⚠ The app is on the Google Play Store, but the publisher name, SEBI registration, and company address are unverifiable or missing
⚠ A 'dashboard' shows your balance growing daily, but this balance is fictitious — no underlying regulated instrument generates those returns

Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes

What to do right now

Red flags

Sources