What is Paytm Spoof scam and how to not become a victim of it

Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, cashless payments have seen a significant jump. Digital payment platforms such as Paytm, Google Pay, BHIM, PhonePe and others helped users provide contactless payment options during these tough times. Though these apps aim to provide a secure payment experience, some fraudsters also use them to dupe innocent users. A video that has surfaced on social media platforms shows one such scam. As per the viral video, cybercriminals have created an app called ‘Paytm Spoof’ that can be used to trick merchants and other users.
How Paytm Spoof app works
The Paytm Spoof app allows the users to customise a fake animation that looks similar to the one that appears after any payment. The app allows users to edit the name, contact and time of the transaction in the fake animation. The app is mostly used to trick shop owners into believing that the user has actually transferred money to them, which is not the case. You can see the video below to know about this scam better.

How you can ensure you have received money on Paytm
As UPI service is unified across all the platforms, Paytm can be used at any store that accepts digital payments. Shop owners often just see the money transfer confirmation animation on the buyers smartphone to assure the payment. To make sure that you have received a payment from another user on Paytm, you must check the Transactions tab on the app. The Paytm app also sends a SMS along with an in-app notification whenever you receive a payment.
Last year, the company also launched the Soundbox 2.0 Internet of Things (IoT) based payment device. It comes with a digital screen that gives instant visual confirmation of the paid amount along with the voice-based response. It also comes with a function button to fetch a payment summary for the entire day. The device can record the net amount corresponding to the merchant’s collection along with voice-based confirmation.