While digital payments have made daily life easier, it has created new problems for elderly users, who can become targets of UPI fraud. With scams involving fake payment requests, fraudulent calls and malicious links circulating, it is crucial that parents learn to take a few precautions while using the UPI platform.
7 Safety Tips for Elderly Parents
1. Do not give UPI PIN, OTP to anyone
Remember that bank or payment app representatives will never ask for your UPI PIN or OTP, and advise the elderly not to share the information with anyone, even if they claim to be from the bank.
2. Remember that you cannot receive money by giving UPI PIN
A UPI transaction requires a UPI PIN to be approved, but not to receive money. Fraudsters may target the elderly by asking them to enter their UPI PIN, under false pretences such as a refund, prize or payment.
3. Confirm every payment request
Ask the elderly to confirm any payment request by checking the name of the recipient and the amount. Advise them to always reject unusual collect requests, and any transactions that seem hard to understand.
4. Avoid suspicious links or apps
Fraudsters may target your parents over SMS, WhatsApp or email by tricking them into visiting a link or downloading an application. They can use this to gain access to your parents’ bank account, so it is best that the elderly avoid any unknown links or apps.
5. Do not follow instructions of unknown callers
Scammers are known to call people and pose as bank or payment app executives, and can lure the elderly into providing secret codes or OTPs. In such a situation, it is best to ask the caller to hang up and contact your bank or payment app’s official customer service.
6. Set limits and alerts
Wherever possible, set UPI transaction limits and ask parents to get alerts for every transaction. This will make it easier for you to monitor large or suspicious transactions, and you can contact the bank in such cases.
7. Report any fraud or suspicious activity immediately
If you suspect that your parents have become victims of a UPI fraud, contact the bank right away to report the incident. You should also file a complaint with India’s cybercrime helpline at 1930 or the official National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal. The sooner you report a suspicious activity, the more likely it is that your money can be recovered, although this is never guaranteed.
By educating themselves about UPI related dangers and advising the elderly to follow the mentioned precautions, children can ensure that their parents can stay safe from fraud. It is important to remind elderly parents to always confirm every transaction and contact the bank or payment app if they suspect something is wrong.