A successful UPI payment to the wrong person is not automatically reversed. Complain in writing to your bank and payment app promptly. The recipient’s consent or further legal steps may be required.
Incorrect payments, technically failed payments and cyber fraud are different situations. Do not describe a successful payment as an unauthorized transaction merely because you selected the wrong number. Section 72 of the Indian Contract Act concerns the return of money paid by mistake, but a bank may not always be able to recover a disputed amount immediately at your request. Ask the bank to coordinate with the beneficiary’s bank.
What should you do now?
- File a complaint with your bank and payment app, providing the transaction ID, amount and details of the correct and incorrect recipients.
- If you can contact the recipient, politely request the money back and keep a record of the conversation.
- If the issue is not resolved, escalate the complaint with the bank; if needed, explore legal options for recovering the amount.
Which documents should you keep?
Keep the payment receipt, UTR, bank complaint and any conversation with the recipient.
Avoid this mistake
There is no guaranteed 24- or 48-hour refund applicable to all cases of an incorrect transfer.
A hypothetical example
Suppose ₹12,000 in rent is sent to a different contact with the same name. If the amount has been successfully credited, this is not a technical failure. State accurately in your complaint that you selected the wrong contact and ask for coordination with the beneficiary’s bank.
Will sharing your UPI PIN get you a refund?
No. You do not need to share your UPI PIN or OTP with anyone to receive money.
Legal basis and useful sources
This is general legal information. The advice may differ depending on your facts, the applicable law and state rules.