Starting today, April 1, new rules are in effect for those using UPI through apps like Google Pay, PhonePe, and Paytm. The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has recently announced guidelines requiring the removal of inactive mobile numbers linked to bank accounts. If your bank account has an inactive mobile number associated with it, you could run into significant issues when making UPI transactions. In response to the rising incidence of cybercrime, the NPCI has implemented this new directive. They emphasise that mobile numbers that are no longer in use or have been inactive must be removed from the banking and UPI systems. Such inactive numbers are prone to causing technical difficulties. Additionally, if these numbers were issued by telecom operators under someone else's name, it increases the risk of fraud significantly.
To use UPI safely, it’s crucial that your mobile number is linked to your bank account. This number serves as your identification during UPI transactions, ensuring that payments are sent to the correct recipient. If the number you’ve linked is inactive or has been reassigned, there’s a chance your payments could fail or, worse, end up in someone else’s account.
What should you do?
- If you find that a mobile number linked to your bank account is no longer active or has not been recharged for a while, it’s important to check with your telecom provider—whether it’s Jio, Airtel, Vi, or BSNL—to confirm its status.
- If the number is indeed inactive, you should either reactivate it immediately or update your bank account with a new mobile number.
- The NPCI has also directed banks and UPI apps to refresh their records of deleted mobile numbers every week. This measure will help ensure that, as of April 1, inactive numbers are promptly removed from the banking system, enhancing transaction security for everyone.