Coaching and Exam Fee Refund Scam
A caller offers a refund for coaching or exam fees but needs your UPI PIN or a small test payment first. See how the refund trap works and stay safe.
After paying for a coaching course, test series or exam form, a student or parent gets a call: the course is cancelled, or the fee was charged twice, and a refund is ready. To receive it, the caller asks them to scan a QR code, enter a UPI PIN or share an OTP. The refund never arrives and money leaves the account instead. The scam works because the call arrives soon after a real payment.
How the scam works
Scammers find students through data leaks, public forums, lead lists sold by agents and posts about results or admissions. They call within days of a real payment and use the correct name of the course or exam. The caller says he is from the finance or support team and mentions a small error in the fee.
He then insists that the refund must be 'verified' that day. The student is asked to open the UPI app, accept a collect request, scan a QR code to 'receive' money, or share an OTP. Parents, who are busy and worried about a wrongly charged fee, are guided step by step while the caller stays on the line.
The payoff is direct: every tap moves money out. Some callers send a second request saying the first failed and a larger amount is needed. Others ask for card details to refund to the card instead. When the person finally doubts, the number is switched off and the money is gone. Victims are often parents who trusted the caller because the fee amount he mentioned was correct.
An example of what you may see
Example call (invented): 'Hello, main coaching ke accounts department se bol raha hoon. Aapki test series ki fees do baar cut gayi hai. Refund ke liye aapko ek QR scan karna hoga, bas apna UPI PIN daal dijiye, paisa turant wapas aa jayega.' When the student pauses, he adds: 'Aapka refund Rs 4,999 hold par hai, abhi hi PIN daalein, system 10 minute mein band ho jayega.' Then he asks the person to stay on the line.
This example is written for illustration. Real messages change their wording, names and links all the time.
Red flags
- A refund that needs your UPI PIN, card PIN or OTP.
- A QR code or collect request to 'receive' money.
- The caller contacts you first, not through the official student login.
- Pressure to finish within minutes while on the call.
- A second request for a bigger amount after the first 'fails'.
- The caller refuses to wait while you check the official app or email.
What to do right now
- End the call and do not scan, tap or enter any PIN.
- Check the course or exam app, or the receipt, for the real payment status.
- Write to the coaching or exam body using the contact on its official website.
- Remember that you never need a PIN to receive money.
- Report the number on the Sanchar Saathi portal under Chakshu.
If you already paid or shared a code
- Call 1930 right away and report at cybercrime.gov.in.
- Tell your bank through the number on your card and ask it to try to hold the transfer.
- Block UPI temporarily and change your UPI PIN in the app.
- Keep screenshots of the call log, QR and transaction details for the police.
National Cyber Crime Helpline: 1930. Report online at cybercrime.gov.in. Do it fast: the sooner your bank is told, the better the chance that money can be held.
Where this scam shows up
Read how it looks on each channel:
How Safeavio helps
Safeavio's QR check shows where a QR code leads before you scan, and Money Shield reminds you that a refund never needs a PIN. The scam check on a pasted SMS or email lists the urgency and PIN request. Safeavio cannot listen to a call or recover money already sent, so the safest step remains to end the call and check the course app yourself.
Check it before you tap or pay
Safeavio Sentinel is a made-in-India Android app: paste a message or link, or scan a QR code, and get a plain verdict with the reasons. It helps you spot a scam; it does not promise to stop every one.
Download for AndroidWhat the app does
Google Play listing: coming soon. Today the signed APK is on safeavio.com/download. Android 7.0 or later.
Questions people ask
Do I need a UPI PIN to receive a refund?
No. You enter a PIN only to send money. A refund that asks for your PIN, a QR scan or an OTP is a trick. Real refunds go back to the original payment source without any action from you.
How do I check if a coaching refund is genuine?
Log in to the official app or portal and read the payment status there, or write to the institute using the contact on its official website. Never rely on a number given by a caller.
What if the caller already knows my course name?
That detail is easy to get from lead lists or shared data, so it proves nothing. Treat the call as unverified and use your own records to check. Ask a family member to check it with you.