SBI Customers Lose ₹6,313 Crore to UPI and Internet Banking Scams
INDIA — By BharatSecure Threat Intelligence Team ·
Category: upi_fraud
Verdict Summary
SBI Customers Lose ₹6,313 Crore to UPI and Internet Banking Scams shows strong scam indicators common in fraud targeting Indian users. Do not share OTPs, passwords, or payments — verify the source independently.
Risk score: 9/10 · Severity: Critical · Verdict: Suspicious
Scam Intelligence: SBI Customers Lose ₹6,313 Crore to UPI and Internet Banking Scams
Proprietary signals from BharatSecure's scam-tracking database.
| Last reported | Jun 13, 2026 |
How SBI Customers Lose ₹6,313 Crore to UPI and Internet Banking Scams Works
Customers of the State Bank of India have collectively lost a significant amount, ₹6,313 crore, due to various fraud schemes involving UPI and internet banking. This highlights a growing concern for users of digital payment platforms regarding the security of their transactions.
How This Scam Works — Detailed Explanation
Scammers targeting SBI customers often initiate contact through popular platforms like WhatsApp or via unsolicited phone calls. They may impersonate bank officials or tech support, creating a façade of legitimacy. The charm lies in their ability to craft convincing messages that exploit the emotional state of victims, making them believe they are receiving crucial assistance or experiencing an urgent situation, which ultimately leads them to engage without skepticism. Utilizing tactics such as fear, urgency, or even a sense of support, they lure victims into sharing sensitive information or making unverified transactions.
These fraudsters employ a variety of psychological tactics to reassure victims. For instance, they may suggest that a security upgrade is required for their UPI app or claim that an immediate action is necessary to avoid account suspension. This often involves asking the victim to share their OTP (One Time Password) or even download remote access software, under the guise of helping them resolve a supposed security issue. Once they have access to the user’s bank details, these scammers can transfer funds out of the victim’s account undetected, making their offense more devastating.
Once a victim engages with the scammers, the steps unfold rapidly. For instance, an unsuspecting SBI customer might receive a message stating there has been unusual activity on their UPI ID. Upon responding, the fraudster guides them through a series of prompts that often lead to sharing sensitive account information. A notable example involves a customer being asked to verify transactions they did not initiate, leading them to inadvertently reveal their banking credentials. In fact, recent reports indicate victims losing personal savings accumulated over years, with many distressed individuals turning to their bank helplines — such as SBI at 1800-11-1109 — only to learn their money has vanished into fraudulent accounts.
The implications of these scams are staggering. In a shocking report, it has been stated that SBI customers lost a collective ₹6,313 crore due to UPI and internet banking scams. This alarming figure starkly highlights the risks associated with online banking, especially in a digital economy like India, which heavily relies on UPI transactions for everyday payments. Reports from bodies like the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and Reserve Bank of India (RBI) underline the need for increased vigilance among users, further supported by advisories from CERT-In (Indian Computer Emergency Response Team) emphasizing the vulnerability of digital platforms. This financial drain not only affects victims but is a growing concern for the resilience of India's digital banking infrastructure.
To distinguish between legitimate communications and potential scams, one must be vigilant about warning signs. Genuine banks, including SBI, will never ask for sensitive information like OTPs or passwords via phone calls or messages. Also, any communication requesting immediate action or vague threats about account suspension should raise a red flag. Victims should double-check by calling their bank using established helplines rather than the numbers provided in the suspicious communication. By staying aware of these details, individuals can protect themselves from falling prey to digital scams that are increasingly sophisticated and alarming.
Visual Intelligence:
BharatSecure's AI has identified this as a used in scams targeting Indian users.
Who Does SBI Customers Lose ₹6,313 Crore to UPI and Internet Banking Scams Target?
General public across India
Red Flags — How to Identify SBI Customers Lose ₹6,313 Crore to UPI and Internet Banking Scams
- SBI
- UPI
- internet banking
- fraud
- financial loss
- digital payments
What To Do If You Encounter SBI Customers Lose ₹6,313 Crore to UPI and Internet Banking Scams
- Report the incident immediately to the cybercrime helpline by calling 1930 or visiting cybercrime.gov.in.
- Contact your bank's customer service at SBI 1800-11-1109 to block your account and prevent further unauthorized access.
- Change your banking passwords and UPI PIN immediately to safeguard your account.
- Monitor your bank statements for any unauthorized transactions and report them to your bank.
- Educate yourself about common fraud tactics to recognize potential scams in the future.
- Share this information with friends and family to help them avoid falling victim to similar scams.
How to Report SBI Customers Lose ₹6,313 Crore to UPI and Internet Banking Scams in India
- Call 1930 — National Cyber Crime Helpline (24x7)
- File a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in
- Contact your bank immediately if money was lost
- Call RBI helpline: 14440 for banking fraud
Frequently Asked Questions
- What to do if I shared my OTP in a UPI fraud scam?
- Immediately contact SBI customer care at 1800-11-1109 to report the situation and potentially block your account. Also, report the incident at 1930 or cybercrime.gov.in.
- How can I identify this specific scam?
- Look for signs such as unsolicited messages asking you to verify your details, requests for OTPs, or threats regarding account issues. Genuine banks will never ask for sensitive information through these means.
- How do I report this type of scam in India?
- You should report by calling the cybercrime helpline at 1930 or visiting cybercrime.gov.in, along with contacting your bank's fraud department.
- What are the recovery steps after falling victim to this scam?
- Contact your bank immediately to report the fraud, change passwords, file a complaint with the cybercrime helpline, and keep thorough documentation of transactions for potential investigations.
How This Scam Works — BharatSecure AI
Spreading fastA plain-language breakdown based on 87 real reported scams of this type.
| How they reach you | Unsolicited contact via WhatsApp messages/calls, SMS, and phone calls (vishing) is the dominant first-touch channel, frequently delivering malicious payment links, fake QR codes, or disguised UPI coll |
| How they gain your trust | Scammers establish credibility through impersonation of trusted authorities — bank officials, payment-app customer support, government schemes (RBI, PM-Kisan, income tax), or known relatives/friends — |
| How they take your money | UPI is the universal rail across all 87 records — exploited via collect requests where entering a PIN sends rather than receives money, malicious paym |
| Who they target | Targeting is broad-spectrum but with documented concentration on the elderly (digital unfamiliarity, dependency on caregivers), rural users and farmers (government-scheme pretexts), students and young |
- Urgency/scarcity bias — account deactivation, KYC expiry, or suspicious-transaction panic forcing immediate action
- Authority bias — deference to bank, RBI, government, or army-officer personas
- Trust-by-familiarity — cloned voices, family impersonation, and recognised brand logos exploit relational trust
- Greed/reward anticipation — cashback, prizes, refunds, trading profits, and 'receive money' framing that inverts the payment direction
- A UPI PIN is requested or required to 'receive' money — entering a PIN always sends money, never receives it
- Unsolicited calls/messages claiming urgent account, KYC, or transaction issues from 'bank officials', 'customer support', or government bodies
- Requests to install remote access or screen-sharing apps (e.g., AnyDesk/TeamViewer-type tools) to 'fix' a problem or process a refund
- UPI ID or display name mismatches — slightly altered VPAs, extra characters, or misleading names like 'Verified Merchant' or 'Bank Refund Dept'
- Pressure to scan unknown QR codes or click payment links sent via WhatsApp/SMS, often paired with prize, cashback, refund, or grant offers
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