CERT-In Urges Donors To Beware Of Fake PM-Cares UPI IDs

In a recent advisory issued by the national cybersecurity agency — the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) — has alerted donors and citizens against fake ‘UPI IDs’ for a particular fund launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the advisory CERT-In has stated that it has “tracked several fake UPI IDs,” which are similar to the UPI ID used by the “Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations (PM-CARES) Fund”. The advisory also identified some of the fake UPI IDs that in circulation to fool people with their money, such as:

• pmcares@pnb, 
• pmcares@hdfcbank,
• pmcare@yesbank,
• pmcare@ybl, 
• pmcare@upi,
• pmcare@sbi
• and pmcares@icici

The advisory stated that the genuine UPI ID is “pmcares@sbi” and the registered account name is “PM CARES.” CERT-In has been asking people to verify the UPI ID and the registered name before making any donations.

Further, it stated, “Citizens, donors and organisations are advised to visit the website “pmindia.gov.in” for further details about the fund.”

The PM-CARES Fund was launched on March 28 to act as an aid to people fighting against the disease, and it has been receiving donations worth crores.

A message on PM’s official website says that — “keeping in mind the need for having a dedicated national fund with the primary objective of dealing with any emergency or distress situation, like posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and to provide relief to the affected, a public charitable trust under the name of Prime Minister’s Citizen Assistance and Relief in Emergency Situations Fund’ (PM CARES Fund)’ was set up.”