UPI Address Security: Why Using Your Phone Number or Email Can Be Dangerous

Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has transformed digital payments in India, making transactions instant, seamless, and accessible. Whether you are an artist selling art online, a freelancer accepting payments, or a business owner handling transactions, UPI is the go-to method for financial exchanges.

At GranNino, we empower artists by enabling them to receive rewards from art lovers via UPI. Many artists who create pencil drawings, acrylic paintings, and sketches use UPI to sell their artwork online. However, we have noticed a growing security concern—many users unknowingly create vulnerable UPI addresses that expose their phone numbers or email IDs, leading to fraud, phishing scams, and financial loss.

If your UPI ID looks like 98XXXXXXXX@okbank or yourname@gmail.com@okbank, you might be putting yourself at risk. Let's explore why this happens, how scammers exploit it, and how you can protect yourself.

How Vulnerable UPI Addresses Expose Users to Scams

• Privacy Exposure: If your UPI ID contains your phone number or email, fraudsters can easily extract it and misuse it for scams, spam calls, or identity theft.
• Phishing & Fake Payment Requests: Scammers can send fraudulent UPI requests pretending to be refunds, cashback offers, or rewards, tricking users into approving transactions.
• SIM Swap Attacks: If a scammer gets hold of your phone number, they might attempt a SIM swap fraud, gaining access to OTPs and banking details.
• Spam & Unsolicited Calls: Exposed phone numbers can be misused for spam calls, fake loan offers, and fraudulent schemes.

GranNino's UPI Reward Feature: Secure Payments for Artists & Users

At GranNino, we believe in supporting artists by enabling them to receive rewards from art lovers via UPI. Many artists who create Picasso-style paintings, Salvador Dalí-inspired sketches, and acrylic scenery paintings use UPI to sell paintings online and receive payments securely.

• Artists can register their UPI IDs to receive direct rewards from fans and supporters.
• Users can securely send payments without worrying about fraud or exposure of personal details.
• We encourage artists and users to create secure UPI IDs that do not contain phone numbers or emails.

How to Protect Yourself from UPI Address Vulnerabilities

• Use a Custom UPI ID: Instead of using your phone number or email, opt for a unique identifier (e.g., rohanart@okbank or galleryart@paytm).
• Enable UPI Security Features: Use apps that provide additional security layers like device binding and biometric authentication.
• Beware of Fake Payment Requests: Never approve unknown UPI requests, especially those claiming to be refunds or rewards.
• Regularly Check Your UPI Transactions: Monitor your bank statements and UPI app history for suspicious activity.
• Use Trusted UPI Apps: Stick to well-known apps like Google Pay (gpay, google payment, google pay app, google pay account), PhonePe (phonepay, phone pey, phonepe app, phonepe payment gateway), and BHIM UPI (bhim app, bhim upi), which have strong fraud detection mechanisms.

Conclusion

UPI is a powerful tool for digital payments, but small mistakes—like using your phone number or email as your UPI ID—can lead to major security risks.

At GranNino, we are committed to ensuring that artists and users can transact securely. If you are using UPI to send or receive payments, avoid using your phone number or email as your UPI ID. Instead, create a custom, secure UPI address that protects your privacy.

Whether you are an artist selling pencil sketches or acrylic scenery paintings, or a user supporting creators, secure transactions are essential.

Let's spread awareness and make digital payments safer for everyone.