FASTag KYC Update Call Scam
A caller says your FASTag will be deactivated without a KYC update and asks for an OTP, card details or a remote-access app.
Your phone rings, and a polite voice says that your FASTag has been flagged for incomplete KYC and will stop working at toll plazas. They already know your vehicle type or the bank that issued your tag. It sounds like a routine update, but the real aim is to get an OTP, your card details or access to your screen. Tag KYC steps are done in the official app.
How the scam works
The scammer collects phone numbers from data leaks and public listings, and uses guesses about common tag issuers. They call as 'FASTag support' and say that the tag is at risk. To prove they are genuine, they mention the first and last digits of your vehicle number or a bank name, which many people accept as evidence.
They then ask you to confirm your identity by reading an OTP that has just arrived, sharing card details or installing a 'support' app. The app is a remote-access tool. They say it will help them update the KYC from their side and keep you on the line so you do not look at your messages or your bank alerts too closely.
While connected, they open your banking or payment apps, approve transfers using the OTPs that reach your phone, and may add themselves as a payee. The payoff for the scammer is cash from your account within minutes. They may also leave the remote tool installed so that they can come back later and try again.
An example of what you may see
Example only: 'Sir, I am calling from FASTag KYC cell. Your tag will be deactivated in two hours because the KYC is pending. To update, install the support app I am sending to you and tell me the code that appears. You will also get an OTP, please read it out. I will finish everything for you, do not cut the call.' He stays quiet when you ask him to wait while you check the official app, and repeats that the tag will stop working.
This example is written for illustration. Real messages change their wording, names and links all the time.
Red flags
- A caller says your tag will be deactivated within hours.
- You are asked to install an app and read out a code.
- An OTP is requested to 'update KYC'.
- The caller tells you not to cut the call.
- You are asked for card details or net banking details.
- The caller knows a few details and uses them as proof.
What to do right now
- End the call without sharing any code or OTP.
- Check the tag status in the official app of your issuer.
- Do not install any app on a caller's advice.
- Block the number and report it on the Sanchar Saathi portal.
- Tell people who drive with you about this call.
If you already paid or shared a code
- Call 1930 immediately and give the time of the call and the amounts.
- Contact your bank on the number printed on your card and ask to block cards and UPI.
- Uninstall the remote app, restart the phone and change passwords.
- Report at https://cybercrime.gov.in with the call log and screenshots.
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 phone scan reviews installed apps and risky settings and can point out apps installed from outside a store, which helps you notice a remote-access tool left behind after such a call. The scam check can review a follow-up message you paste. Safeavio does not block calls by itself, so end the call yourself. It cannot end a call. Use the official app.
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
Does FASTag KYC require installing an app on a call?
No. KYC steps are done in the official app or through your bank or issuer's own channels. A caller who asks you to install a support app or read a code is asking for remote control of your phone.
How can I verify a call about my tag?
Hang up and open the official app of your tag issuer or use the number printed on your tag papers. Do not call back a number from the incoming call or from a message you received.
What does a remote-access app let a scammer do?
It lets them see your screen and sometimes tap on it. They can open your bank apps and read OTPs as they arrive. Remove such an app at once, and tell your bank if you let someone connect.