As of October 1, 2025, banks and payment applications are required by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) to cease peer-to-peer collect requests on UPI.
NPCI Strengthens UPI Security
The purpose of this step is to make UPI safe since scammers were abusing this functionality. On the other hand, direct payments via UPI ID or QR code will be possible, and merchants will be able to send collect requests.
Beginning on October 1, 2025, the National Payment Corporation of India (NPCI) has instructed all banks and payment applications (including Google Pay, PhonePe, and Paytm) to fully cease peer-to-peer (P2P) “collect requests” on UPI. This NPCI ruling marks a significant advancement in UPI security.
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Feature Misused for Risk
UPI’s “Collect Request” or “Pull Transaction” function enables you to request money from another individual. Let’s say you would want to borrow Rs 1,000 from a buddy. To send a ‘Collect Request’ for Rs 1,000, go onto your UPI app, then input your friend’s UPI ID.
Once your buddy agrees by providing his UPI PIN, you will get Rs 1,000 in credit to your account. The purpose of this function was to alert friends or family about the money that was still owed, but scammers used it as their most powerful tool. To stop this scam, the NPCI has already lowered the collect request limit to Rs 2,000 per transaction.
Merchants Retain Request Option
This significantly decreased risk, but because scammers continued to ensnare victims in novel ways, this measure was necessary. The unique feature is that merchants—that is, businesses and shopkeepers—will still be able to send you collect requests. In reality, these businesses send a payment request to your phone when you purchase any item from an online store and choose the UPI payment option.
The payment is finished if you authorize it by entering your PIN. As previously, this procedure will continue. As before, you may use a QR code, cellphone number, or UPI ID to transfer money (push transaction) straight to anybody. Common people can no longer use the pull transaction function, which is the ability to ask for money.