While banking has become easier in this era of Digital India, cybercriminals are also adopting new and sophisticated tactics. You may have heard that you shouldn’t share your OTP with anyone or download unknown apps, but now a dangerous scam has emerged called “Jumped Deposit.” This trick doesn’t ask for your password or make you download a link; instead, your honesty is exploited to drain your entire account. Understanding this new conspiracy by cybercriminals is crucial to protecting your bank balance.
What is a Jumped Deposit Scam
Suppose you suddenly receive a message on your phone that ₹5,000 has been deposited into your bank account. Immediately afterward, you receive a call or message from an unknown number: “Sir, money has been accidentally transferred to your account. Please check.” This is where the fraudsters’ trick begins.
Scammers send you a link and ask you to click it to check your balance or receive a refund. Once you click on the link, it takes you directly to your UPI app (like Google Pay, PhonePe, or Paytm). Instead of returning ₹5,000, a whopping ₹50,000 or more is deducted from your account.
Misuse of NPCI Rules
The cyber wing of Tamil Nadu and Cyberabad has uncovered this new fraud. In fact, the criminals are exploiting the National Payments Corporation of India’s (NPCI) ‘Reversal Request’ rule.
The main steps of this scam are as follows:
A small amount (such as ₹500 or ₹1000) is actually transferred to your account, making you believe the person is telling the truth.
A ‘payment request’ link is sent under the guise of checking your balance. This link is actually a way to withdraw a large sum.
In your eagerness to check your balance, you enter your secret UPI PIN. By entering the PIN, you unknowingly give your authorization to the payment of that large amount.
The fraudsters know that in their eagerness to check their balance, people will enter their PIN without thinking. As soon as you enter the PIN, you unknowingly ‘approve’ the fraudulent reversal request that the criminal carefully set up for you.
How do the fraudsters win
According to the rules, if money is accidentally transferred to someone, a request can be submitted to get it back. Criminals generate a request for a large amount and disguise it behind a simple “balance check” link. In this cunning scheme, criminals exploit your honesty. They know that an ordinary person will inevitably try to repay the money they receive by mistake, and in the process, they end up losing everything.
Security Tips to Protect Yourself
To avoid this cunning scam, you need to make some changes to your habits. Strictly follow the safety rules below:
30-Minute Rule
If unknown money has been deposited into your account and someone calls, do not open your UPI app for the next 30 minutes. Reversal requests have a time limit; the link will automatically become “Invalid” or expire after 30 minutes.
Never Trust Links
Never use a link sent by someone to check your balance. Always check directly within the bank app or the official UPI app.
UPI PIN Privacy
Remember, you never need to enter a PIN to receive money. If a link asks for a PIN, it’s 100% fraudulent.
Put the responsibility on the bank
If someone claims the money was received by mistake, tell them to file a complaint with their bank. The bank will recover the money through its official, rigorous process. Don’t risk trying to refund it yourself.