Collect request

Collect request is a UPI message asking you to pay someone. Approving it with your PIN sends money out; declining costs nothing.

Collect request: A collect request is a UPI feature where one person asks another for money. The receiver gets a notification and sees an approve button. Approving it and entering the PIN sends the money to the requester. Declining or ignoring it costs nothing.

Genuine uses exist, such as a shopkeeper requesting payment or a friend splitting a bill. Scammers abuse it by sending a request while saying something like, "I am sending your refund, please accept." Buyers on classified sites are often hit this way. The notification may even carry a friendly note to look real. Sellers on classified sites and marketplaces are a favourite target for this trick.

The rule is simple. If you are supposed to receive money, you will not see a PIN screen. If a screen says "Pay" or asks for a PIN, you are sending money. Decline any request you did not expect. Many UPI apps also let you block the sender or turn off requests from unknown people. Taking a minute to read the screen protects you better than any app setting.

Tips

• Decline any collect request from a stranger, whatever the story.
• Look for the word "Pay" or a PIN prompt: it means money leaves your account.
• If a buyer insists on a request to "send you money", walk away from the deal.

Related terms