The Cyber Crime Wing of the Tamil Nadu Police has issued an alert regarding a new scam that targets mobile money-users (those making payments through mobile phones).

Known as the ‘Jumped Deposit’ scam, this fraudulent method exploits users’ trust to execute unauthorised withdrawals through Unified Payments Interface (UPI). The scam begins with the fraudster sending a small amount, typically around ₹5,000, to the victim’s bank account through UPI. This unexpected deposit would trigger a notification via an SMS, prompting a person to check the balance in his/her account. The scammer then immediately initiates a withdrawal request. When the victims, out of curiosity, open their banking app and enter a personal identification number (PIN) to verify the deposit, the fraudulent withdrawal gets approved. The amount withdrawn is often significantly higher than the initial deposit, the police said.

The Tamil Nadu Police have cautioned members of the public to be vigilant against such unexpected deposits. “Scammers exploit the recipient’s curiosity over an unsolicited deposit to access their funds,” officials said, emphasising the of exercising caution while entering PINs on banking apps.

The Cyber Crime Wing has advised people receiving such suspicious deposits to wait for about 15-30 minutes before checking the bank balance. This would result in the expiry of the withdrawal request, if any.

Entering an incorrect PIN deliberately in the first instance would also cancel any active withdrawal request.

In case of any unexpected credit, the customer should contact the bank to verify the authenticity of the deposit, it said.

Investigators said that the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal had received several complaints pertaining to the new scam. They urged the victims of such incidents to lodge a complaint at the nearest cybercrime police station, or on the portal to ensure prompt action.