In recent months, India has witnessed a significant surge in online scam cases, with fraudsters employing increasingly sophisticated tactics to mislead unsuspecting individuals and unlawfully acquire their hard-earned money. Among the array of fraudulent methods, one particularly prevalent approach involves scammers calling their targets and coercing them into clicking on malicious links or downloading tricky apps that grant remote access to their mobile devices. Once access is gained, these criminals exploit popular mobile banking apps like UPI (Unified Payments Interface) to transfer funds from victims' bank accounts.
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Enabling biometric authentication within UPI apps presents a strong defense mechanism against scammers. It is highly recommended to establish two-step authentication, but scammers have found ways to intercept OTPs (One-Time Passwords) through compromised SMS apps. However, by using the built-in security features of smartphones, an additional layer of protection can be added. Configuring biometric authentication—requiring users to verify their identities through facial recognition or fingerprint scanning—ensures that scammers, remotely accessing the device, are unable to open UPI apps.
Here's a step-by-step guide on activating biometric lock in popular mobile payment apps:
For Paytm:
- Open the Paytm app.
- Tap on the profile icon in the top right corner.
- Navigate to Security.
- Select Biometric Lock.
- Enable the lock and follow the on-screen instructions for fingerprint or facial recognition scanning.
For PhonePe:
- Launch the PhonePe app.
- Tap on your profile picture in the top right corner.
- Scroll down and select Security.
- Choose Screen Lock.
- Enable Screen Lock.
- Opt for your preferred biometric method.
- Set and confirm the lock.
For GPay (Google Pay):
- Open the Google Pay app.
- Tap your profile photo in the top right corner.
- Go to Settings.
- Navigate to Privacy & Security.
- Select Security.
- Enable the Use Screen Lock option.
- Set up a screen lock if not already done.
- Tap Use Fingerprint and follow the on-screen instructions to scan your fingerprint.
- Continue and turn on the biometric lock.
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Once the biometric lock is activated within the chosen mobile payment app, users will be required to authenticate themselves via fingerprint or facial recognition each time they access the app. This enhanced security measure boosts account protection and safeguards against unauthorized transactions.
