Pankaj Tripathi Stars in UPI's Campaign Against Online Scams

The Indian instant payment system Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has launched a new ad campaign—#MainMoorkhNahiHoon—featuring the charming Pankaj Tripathi. In this playful advertisement, Tripathi portrays a peanut seller who receives a fraudulent lottery message, asserting that while he sells peanuts, he isn’t foolish when it comes to spotting scams. This reinforces UPI’s core message: “I am not a fool.” The campaign serves as a friendly reminder for the public to think critically before clicking on suspicious links and to remain vigilant against scammers.

In November 2023, UPI appointed Tripathi as the ‘UPI Safety Ambassador’ to raise awareness about the platform’s security features. Earlier in the year, UPI collaborated with several Bollywood actors, including Shakti Kapoor and Varun Sharma, to educate users about cyber fraud tactics, emphasizing the importance of using QR codes strictly for payments, avoiding dubious links, and contacting companies through their official websites.

 Similarly, Google Pay has rolled out a series of ads featuring stars like Rana Daggubati and Neena Gupta, aimed at promoting online safety and awareness regarding UPI scams. Both campaigns focus on securing digital transactions and educating users about common scams such as phishing and fake payment requests.

 According to the Union finance ministry, over 95,000 UPI fraud cases were reported in 2022-23, a significant rise from previous years. These scams include phishing attacks and impersonation schemes, often targeting individuals due to a lack of financial literacy and awareness.

To combat this issue, the Indian government announced a minimum time delay for initial transactions exceeding Rs 2,000, with officials considering a four-hour window for first-time transactions. This measure aims to deter cybercriminals who exploit the rapid nature of UPI payments.