A UPI collect request asks you to approve a transaction — money leaves your account, not enters it. Scammers disguise this as "cashback activation", "refund processing", or "account verification".
How it happens: You get a message saying "Your ₹500 cashback is ready. Accept the UPI request to receive it." You approve the collect request — and ₹500 is deducted from your account instead.
Golden Rule: You NEVER need to enter your UPI PIN to receive money. If someone asks you to enter your PIN or approve a request to get money — it's a scam. Always.
On OLX, Facebook Marketplace, or Quikr — a "buyer" says they already paid by mistake and sends a QR code asking you to scan to "return" or "receive" the amount. Scanning initiates a payment from your account.
Red Flags: Buyer is overly eager. Claims to have "sent money already". Sends a QR code or UPI collect request instead of just paying normally.
Stay Safe: Never scan a QR code from a buyer. QR codes are for paying — not receiving. Verify your balance independently before acting on any claim of "payment sent".
You receive an SMS or WhatsApp message: "Congratulations! You've won ₹25 lakh in the KBC lottery. Pay ₹2,000 tax to release your prize." This is an advance-fee fraud — you pay, and the "prize" never arrives.
Why students fall for it: Scammers use KBC's (Kaun Banega Crorepati) branding, fake cheque images, and official-looking PDFs to seem credible.
Rule: You cannot win a lottery you never entered. Legitimate prizes never require upfront payment. Block and report immediately.
A message or call claims you have a cashback/reward pending on GPay or PhonePe. You're asked to "activate" it by sending a small amount (₹1, ₹10, ₹99) first. Once you send — you lose that money and the reward never comes.
Stay Safe: GPay, PhonePe, and Paytm never ask you to send money to activate rewards. All rewards are applied automatically. Any instruction asking you to pay first is a scam.