UPI flows in two directions: you scan a QR to send money, or someone sends you a collect request which asks you to approve a payment to them.
Why it matters
- Only you can approve a collect request; the scammer is betting on speed and confusion.
- Genuine billers send requests from familiar VPAs and amounts you expect.
- A surprising VPA or amount deserves an instant rejection.
Reading a collect request
Key takeaways
- Collect requests debit your account — treat them like cheques in your name.
- Unknown VPA plus a pressing note equals rejection.
- Review the pending tab regularly.
- Each request shows the payer’s VPA, the amount and a note.
- Approving it debits YOUR account into theirs.
- A stranger sending a request with a persuasive note — "pay this bill", "payment pending" — is a classic fraud technique.
What you should do
- Never approve requests from unknown VPAs, whatever the note says.
- Check the "Pending / Collect" tab in your app weekly and reject anything unexpected.
- If you approved by mistake, tell your bank the same day and report on cybercrime.gov.in.