UPI does not lead to a user’s mobile or app getting hacked, NPCI clarifies

A media statement was issued by NPCI via a post on microblogging site Twitter. “NPCI Media Statement: NPCI, 28th March 2023. UPI does not expose the sender’s KYC details and neither does it lead to a user’s mobile or App getting hacked,” the post reads.

NPCI’s Twitter post says that the connection to UPI in some media and social media articles on KYC scam is ‘misleading and incorrect’. Explaining how UPI works, it says that UPI works on the principle of payment using a Virtual Payment address or UPI ID — using secure method of device binding and UPI PIN to transfer money. Sender’s KYC details are not used or shared during a UPI transaction, it further mentions.

Here’s the complete statement as shared by the official Twitter handle of NPCI:

With reference to recent media/social media articles on ‘KYC scams’ – The connection to UPI is misleading and incorrect. We assure all users that any payment through UPI does not expose the sender’s KYC details and neither does it lead to a user’s mobile or App getting hacked. 

UPI works on the principle of payment using a Virtual Payment address or UPI ID — using secure method of device binding and UPI PIN to transfer money. KYC details are not used or shared during a UPI transaction. We would like to reassure that UPI continues to remain a safe and secure payment method. The intention of some of these articles/ social media messages are to mislead and thereby create mistrust about a payment method that has been adopted widely across the country.