UPI 'Collect Request' Payment Scam Examples
Scammers send a UPI collect request — or tell victims to 'approve' a payment to receive money — when approving actually sends money out of the victim's account rather than bringing it in.
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Sanitized example messages
Illustrative, sanitized examples. Personal details are replaced with placeholders such as [phone number] and [fake link].
Hi, I am buying your item from OLX. I have sent a collect request on [UPI app] for [amount]. Please enter your UPI PIN to accept the payment.
You have a pending refund of [amount] from [company]. Our team has sent the refund via UPI collect request — just approve it and the money will be credited immediately.
To receive the prize amount of [amount], approve the collect request now on your [UPI app]. Enter your PIN within 10 minutes or the request will expire.
What the scammer wants
To trick you into entering your UPI PIN on a collect request, which authorises a debit from your account rather than a credit into it.
Red flags in the message
- Being told to 'approve' or enter your PIN to receive money
- A collect request from an unknown UPI ID
- Pressure to act within a short window before the request expires
- Request from someone you met on a classifieds or marketplace site
- Offer of a prize, refund, or cashback you did not initiate
A safe response
You never need to enter your UPI PIN to receive money — only to send it. If you see a collect request from someone unknown, decline it. Contact your bank if you are unsure.
What not to send
- Your UPI PIN
- Approval on any collect request from an unknown party
- Banking details over the phone
What to do if you already replied
- Contact your bank immediately to report the unauthorised debit and request a reversal
- File a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in or your national cyber-crime portal
- Report the UPI ID to the NPCI or your bank's fraud team
Evidence to preserve
- Screenshot the full message or call details
- Note the sender number, email, or profile
- Save any links (without clicking) and payment details
- Record dates and times