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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →A frozen phone screen can be a distraction in a UPI scam, not evidence that UPI itself has been hacked. In reported cases, criminals create or exploit the appearance of a technical problem, then pose as support staff and pressure the victim to install an app, grant sensitive permissions, reveal an OTP or UPI PIN, or approve a payment.
The immediate priorities are to stop following the caller’s instructions, disconnect a suspicious phone, protect payment credentials, and contact your bank quickly if information or money may be at risk.
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What the frozen-screen UPI scam is
The Himachal Pradesh Police advisory reported by The Tribune on September 22, 2026 describes a typical sequence: a person clicks an unfamiliar link, the phone screen appears to freeze, and a fraudster claims there is a UPI technical error. The caller then urges the victim to install an application and grant permissions that can expose messages, notifications and screen activity.
NDTV’s September 7, 2026 report says the trigger may be a social-media advertisement, an unfamiliar link, a fake error, or an unsolicited call. A malicious APK may be presented as a reward, cashback, verification or service application. The apparent freeze creates urgency and makes the fake support story sound plausible.
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Harish Kumar, CEO of Quick Heal Technologies, told NDTV that “the frozen screen is often ‘not the real event, but the distraction.’” The key risk is what happens next: a victim may hand over access, authentication data or approval of a transaction.
How fraudsters can access the phone
Malicious applications and APKs
An app installed outside a trusted store, or installed because a caller says it is needed to fix the problem, can request capabilities unrelated to its claimed purpose. The Himachal Pradesh advisory specifically warns against unfamiliar links, applications and unknown-app permissions.
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Accessibility and notification permissions
NDTV’s experts explain that abused accessibility, notification and other permissions may let an app monitor activity, read OTPs, control screen elements or simulate actions. These permissions can expose what is displayed on the phone without requiring the criminal to break UPI’s underlying payment system.
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Remote-access and screen-sharing tools
Fraudsters may persuade a victim to install remote-access or screen-sharing software and then follow instructions while watching the screen. NPCI warned about this pattern in a February 18, 2019 Digital Payments Safety Initiative release, which used AnyDesk as an example of an app criminals could lure people into downloading. That warning is historical context; it does not mean every remote-support application is malicious.
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Manipulation during a legitimate transaction
Attackers may not need technical control of the device. NDTV’s reporting says they can exploit the device, credentials, authentication factors or the transaction flow, with victims sometimes entering their own UPI PIN or approving a payment while being coached through a supposed fix.
Is UPI itself hacked?
A visible freeze does not prove that UPI has been compromised. NPCI describes UPI as an instant payment system and says the UPI PIN authorizes bank transactions. The reported scam instead targets the device, permissions, credentials and user decisions around a payment. One expert quoted by NDTV says criminals can exploit those surrounding weaknesses without breaking UPI’s core security mechanisms; that is an explanation of the reported tactic, not a guarantee about every incident.
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NPCI’s UPI FAQ states that the PIN must not be shared and that “your bank’s customer support will never ask for it.” Treat an unsolicited request for a UPI PIN, OTP or screen-lock password as a fraud warning.
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- Stop the conversation. Do not follow an unsolicited caller’s instructions, click another link, or approve a collect request or payment.
- Disconnect the phone. Switch off mobile data and Wi-Fi if the suspicious behavior followed a link, app installation or support call.
- Protect credentials. Do not enter a UPI PIN, banking password or OTP at the caller’s request. Never disclose the UPI PIN to supposed bank support.
- Do not install more software. Avoid APKs, screen-sharing tools and “verification,” “reward,” “cashback” or service apps supplied by a stranger.
- Review access. Remove a suspicious application and revoke unnecessary accessibility, notification or device-administration permissions. If you are unsure what is safe to remove, use the phone maker’s official support channel or a trusted technician rather than the original caller.
- Scan cautiously. A trusted mobile-security scan can help identify suspicious software, but it cannot replace refusing social-engineering instructions or reporting fraud.
If money or financial information may be exposed
- Contact your bank through an official channel. Use the number in the bank’s app, on its official website or on a verified statement, not a number supplied by the caller.
- Check transactions immediately. Review recent debits, UPI mandates, collect requests and alerts. BHIM users can inspect transaction history and pending collect requests; other UPI apps may present these controls differently.
- Change exposed credentials from a clean device. If a banking password or other login may have been observed, reset it from a device you trust and follow the bank’s account-security instructions.
- Report suspected cyber financial fraud in India. Call the Government of India’s 24/7 cyber financial fraud helpline, 1930, as soon as possible. The National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal also provides online reporting routes. Reporting does not guarantee recovery, so speed matters.
How to prevent the next attempt
- Keep the UPI PIN, OTP and screen-lock password private. A bank representative should not ask for the UPI PIN.
- Treat unexpected freezes, error messages and urgent support calls as reasons to pause, not as proof that a payment problem exists.
- Install applications only through trusted channels and check why an app wants accessibility, notification, device-administration or screen-sharing access.
- Do not open unfamiliar links from advertisements, messages or callers, especially when they lead to an APK download.
- Keep the phone’s operating system and apps updated, and use a reputable security scanner as a limited additional check.
What is known—and what is not
The Tribune’s account is based on a Himachal Pradesh Police advisory, while NDTV’s account includes comments from cybersecurity and technology experts. They describe tactics and response steps, not a verified national incidence rate, loss total or recovery rate for frozen-screen UPI scams. No scam-specific prevalence or performance figure is established by these reports, so a number found elsewhere should not be treated as a measure of this particular fraud.
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