NPCI pulls the plug on UPI collect requests to fight fraud
The official cutoff date for P2P UPI collect requests has not been finalized; NPCI had initially set an October deadline but may extend it further.
You won't be able to send or receive peer-to-peer (P2P) UPI collect requests—aka those "pull payment" asks—on apps like PhonePe, Google Pay, or Paytm.
The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) is making this move to protect users and cut down on scams that trick people into sending money by accident.
What's changing and why it matters
The collect request feature was meant for things like splitting bills or friendly reminders, but scammers started abusing it with fake urgent requests.
Now, only select large merchants or legitimate business cases (such as Flipkart, Swiggy, IRCTC) can use pull requests.
For everyone else, paying friends still works—you just need to use push payments: enter a UPI ID, scan a QR code, or pick from your contacts.
This update should make UPI safer for everyone while keeping payments easy for legit merchants.
Why you should care
If you've ever worried about accidentally approving a shady payment request, this change is good news.
It closes a loophole that fraudsters loved and keeps your money safer as digital payments keep growing in India.