Bengaluru teen harassed, sent nudes by married man after sharing UPI ID online

An 18-year-old girl from Bengaluru, Diksha, has found herself the target of harassment after posting her UPI ID along with a GPay scanner on Twitter a year ago. What started as a seemingly innocent social media post has turned into a distressing experience, as a 44-year-old married man allegedly used the information to track down her phone number, leading to a series of unsolicited and increasingly inappropriate communications.

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In a tweet, Diksha recounted her ordeal. She explained that the man initially began sending her money through her UPI ID, which soon escalated to text messages, and ultimately, unsolicited nude photos. Despite her efforts to block him, the man reportedly created new accounts to continue his harassment.

this man got my number made me delete the tweet saying he has my add , phone number and everything pic.twitter.com/ahsxXyuOcE

— jesus gf💗 (@d1ksh4)

this man got my number made me delete the tweet saying he has my add , phone number and everything pic.twitter.com/ahsxXyuOcE

— jesus gf💗 (@d1ksh4) August 18, 2024

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Diksha’s case highlights a concerning downside to the widespread adoption of digital payment platforms like the Unified Payments Interface (UPI). Introduced in 2016, UPI has revolutionized the way Indians handle transactions, allowing people to make payments with ease and even step out with minimal or no cash. However, this convenience has introduced new vulnerabilities, particularly in terms of privacy and security.

As digital payments become more ingrained in daily life, incidents like Diksha’s serve as a stark reminder of the potential risks associated with sharing personal information online.