Big UPI Change From Sept 4: GPay, PhonePe to Hide Your Mobile Number

Heads up, GPay and PhonePe users! With UPI payments booming across India, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) is rolling out a big change to boost your privacy.

Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm customers

UPI payments are now a part of daily life for all of us in India. From small shops to big businesses, everyone uses apps like Google Pay, PhonePe, and Paytm. Now, to improve user privacy and security, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has issued new guidelines.

Big change by September 4

According to these new rules, all UPI apps and banks must make the necessary tech changes by September 4. After this date, your full mobile number will not be shown on the screen when you send or receive money via UPI. Instead, only the last four digits will be visible. This will help reduce the unnecessary sharing of personal information.

Money Transaction

Also, the sender's or receiver's full mobile number will not be displayed even in transactions made through QR codes. This will further protect your privacy when you transact at shops or with strangers.

UPI Users

Another major change from NPCI is the promotion of UPI usernames. The circular has instructed apps to provide the option to create a custom UPI ID, like username@bank, as a default choice. This will be an alternative to the mobile number-based UPI ID. This way, users can make UPI transactions without sharing their mobile number at all.

Mobile Number Masking

The main goal of this move is to ensure the security of personal data, in line with the Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act. There have been many complaints about unwanted calls, fraud attempts, and privacy issues because mobile numbers were openly visible. This change is seen as especially important for the safety and privacy of women. After the new rules come into effect, UPI transactions are expected to be much safer than before.