Someone sent me money by mistake and wants me to return it. Is it a scam?
Very often, yes. In this scam the "mistake" is either a fake screenshot – no money actually arrived – or real money sent from a stolen account, so that when you return it you become part of the money trail. Check your bank app, not a screenshot, and never return money to a different number or account.
The caller is usually in a hurry, emotional and sometimes aggressive. A variant is a collect request: they ask you to "approve the refund" in your UPI app, which actually sends your money to them.
What to do
- Open your bank app and check whether any money really arrived. A screenshot proves nothing.
- If nothing arrived, ignore the person and block the number.
- If money did arrive, do not send it anywhere. Tell your bank; they can reverse a genuine wrong transfer through the proper channel.
- Never approve a collect request or enter your UPI PIN to "return" money – the PIN only sends money out.
- Save the chat and the number in case you need to report it.
Frequently asked questions
- What if it is a genuine mistake?
- Then the sender's bank will contact your bank, and the reversal happens between the banks. You never need to send money yourself.
Want to know if there are warning signs about the person you are talking to? Veritaza checks the photos, messages, mobile number, email ID, name and ID card, for ₹289.
Verify a person