The person wants me to send money to an account in a different name. Is it a scam?
Almost certainly. Scammers rarely use accounts in their own name, so they ask you to pay a "friend", an "agent", a "courier" or a "company" – often a mule account that will be emptied minutes later. A genuine person receives money in their own name.
The excuse is usually that the person's account is blocked, under KYC, abroad, or that the money is "for the parcel" or "for the ticket". Whatever the story, your money is going to someone you cannot identify.
What to do
- Do not pay. Ask why the account is not in the person's name and watch the answer change.
- If a business, check the name on the company's official website and pay only to that account.
- Check the person's photos, number and name before anything else.
- If you already paid, call your bank and 1930 at once with the account number and transaction ID.
Frequently asked questions
- The name on the UPI ID looks like a company. Is that safer?
- Only if you have confirmed the company exists and that this is its official account through a source the person did not give you.
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