Legal information notice: this article provides general information and isn't a substitute for advice from a qualified lawyer.
“You’ve won ₹500 cashback — claim now.” A link, a QR code, or a request to “verify with your UPI PIN”. Fake cashback offers use the same idea as every other scam: they promise you money in order to take yours. Genuine cashback is credited automatically by the app or bank you shop with, without you having to pay, scan, or enter a PIN.
You never enter a UPI PIN to receive money. Genuine cashback needs no fee, no scanning, and no OTP. And a reward you didn’t sign up for, on a platform you haven’t used, is a reward that doesn’t exist.
Don’t click links, scan codes, approve collect requests, or share OTPs. Delete the message.
Use the official number to block cards and UPI and report each debit in writing. Speed affects your options.
Report at cybercrime.gov.in or call 1930 with the link, sender, and payment details.
Report the fake offer through the brand’s official app or support, so it can be flagged.
Check for other unfamiliar debits in the same period and report all together.
To check a cashback offer, open the brand’s own app and look for it there. If it doesn’t appear in your account inside the official app, it isn’t real, no matter how convincing the message looks.
| Genuine | Scam Pattern |
|---|---|
| Credited automatically after a qualifying purchase | Asks you to click, scan, or approve to 'claim' |
| Shown inside the official app | Arrives as an unsolicited link, QR, or call |
| Never needs a PIN or fee | Asks for a UPI PIN, OTP, or 'processing fee' |
No. Reporting to your bank and cybercrime.gov.in is free.
Yes. A lawyer is relevant if your bank disputes liability despite prompt reporting.
Need professional legal help with this?
Find a Lawyer on VidyodaySee our guides on the Google Pay reward scam, the UPI collect request scam, and the complete online shopping fraud guide.
No. You never enter a PIN to receive money.
A payment request that pulls money from you when approved; scammers disguise it as a credit.
Open the brand’s official app and look for it there.
It depends on speed and circumstances; report to your bank and 1930 immediately.
A small ‘processing fee’ feels harmless, but it’s designed to take money or card details for a reward that doesn’t exist.
Close it, don’t enter anything, and report the message; avoid further contact.
Yes. It helps flag them for others.
This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Always verify offers inside the official app of the brand concerned.
