The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has delivered an important message to third-party UPI apps like Google Pay, Paytm, PhonePe, and others. In a recent announcement, NPCI directed these apps and banks to deactivate UPI IDs and numbers inactive for over a year. NPCI is a non-profit organisation that oversees retail payments in India.
NPCI's decision addresses the risk of money going to unintended recipients if customers change their mobile numbers without updating their banking information. This is particularly relevant given the Supreme Court's ruling that allows mobile service providers to reallocate deactivated numbers after 90 days.
Guidelines for UPI Apps
As per NPCI's circular, Third Party App Providers (TPAP) and Payment Service Providers (PSP) must take the following actions by December 31, 2023:
Identification of Inactive Users
- TPAPs and PSP banks need to identify UPI IDs and associated numbers of users with no transactions for a year.
Disabling Transactions
- UPI IDs and numbers of such users will be disabled for inward credit transactions, preventing them from receiving money. PSPs will also deregister the corresponding phone numbers from UPI.
Re-registration for Blocked Users
- Users with blocked UPI IDs and phone numbers must re-register in their UPI apps for continued transactions.
Enhanced Security Measures
- UPI apps will implement Requester Validation before initiating specific transactions, ensuring a safer experience for users.
NPCI mentioned the need for customers to regularly review and verify their information within the banking system for a secure digital payment experience. Stay informed to ensure a smooth transactional journey!
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