UPI Payment 2026: In the digital age, UPI has made transactions incredibly easy, but this speed can sometimes lead to significant problems. A hasty entry, a wrong number, an incorrect UPI ID, or an extra zero in the amount can send your hard-earned money to an unknown account. It’s natural to panic at such times, as a transaction can’t be immediately canceled after entering the UPI PIN.
However, if you exercise patience and take timely action, there’s a good chance of getting a refund. According to Reserve Bank of India (RBI) guidelines, prompt action and awareness are the best tools in the event of an erroneous transaction.
What are the first steps you can take
As soon as you realize a wrong payment has been made, take a screenshot of the transaction, clearly showing the transaction ID, date, time, amount, and the incorrect UPI ID. Then, if possible, try to contact the person to whom the money was mistakenly transferred. In many cases, recipients are honest and return the money upon request. If the person doesn’t answer the phone or refuses to return the money, proceed to the next legal and technical steps without wasting time, as delays can complicate the process further.
File an official complaint with the payment app and bank
In the next step, open the app (such as Google Pay, PhonePe, or Paytm) through which the payment was made and, under the transaction history, select the ‘Report an Issue’ or ‘Help’ option on the relevant payment. Immediately call your bank’s customer care number or visit your nearest home branch to file a written complaint.
Provide the bank with the transaction ID and details of the wrong recipient so your bank can contact the other person’s bank. Under the rules, the bank can initiate the process of transferring the money back from that person’s account to yours, provided the recipient agrees, or the issue is a technical glitch.
Seek help from the NPCI
If your bank or payment app doesn’t resolve your issue, you can visit the NPCI’s official complaint portal, npci.org.in. Select ‘UPI’ in the ‘What we do’ section and file your complaint under ‘Dispute Redressal Mechanism’. After submitting your complaint, you will receive a reference number that will allow you to track the status of your refund.
Finally, if no resolution is found within 30 days, you can file an online complaint with the RBI’s Digital Ombudsman. To avoid such problems in the future, always scan the QR code before making a payment and carefully read the name on the screen before entering the PIN.
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Vikram Singh
Author at TimesBull covering breaking news and current affairs.
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