Digital payments through National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI)-powered UPI systems have become a daily habit for millions of Indians. From roadside tea stalls to shopping malls and online stores, UPI payments now dominate India’s digital economy.
However, many users remain concerned about one important privacy issue — their mobile number often becomes visible during transactions.
To address these concerns, NPCI and major UPI apps are now introducing privacy-focused features that can help users make payments without revealing their actual phone numbers to merchants or other recipients.
Why UPI Mobile Number Privacy Matters
Whenever users send money through UPI, the receiver can sometimes view the registered mobile number linked to the account.
This may lead to problems such as:
- Spam calls
- Promotional messages
- Fraud attempts
- Online scams
- Misuse of personal information
Cybersecurity experts say protecting mobile numbers has become increasingly important, especially for:
- Women users
- Senior citizens
- Frequent online shoppers
- Small business owners
Create a Custom UPI ID to Hide Your Number
One of the easiest ways to improve privacy is by creating a custom UPI ID that does not display your phone number.
Instead of using IDs like:
- 98XXXXXXXX@upi
users can create personalized IDs such as:
- yourname@bank
- username@okaxis
- secureid@upi
This helps hide the original mobile number during transactions.
How to Create a Custom UPI ID
On PhonePe
Users can:
- Open the app
- Tap the profile icon
- Go to “UPI & Payment Settings”
- Select “Manage UPI IDs”
- Create a custom username or alphanumeric UPI ID
On Google Pay
Steps generally include:
- Open profile settings
- Choose “Bank Account”
- Tap “Manage UPI Numbers”
- Unlink the visible number if supported
- Create a new custom UPI ID
On BHIM
Users can:
- Open profile settings
- Select “Create New UPI Number”
- Set a virtual or customized payment identity
Virtual UPI Numbers Also Being Introduced
NPCI is also reportedly expanding support for virtual UPI numbers.
Under this system:
- Users receive an alternate virtual payment identity
- The real mobile number remains hidden
- Additional security layers get added
This works similarly to masked numbers used in ride-hailing and e-commerce apps.
Make the New UPI ID Your Primary ID
Experts advise users to set the newly created custom ID as their:
- Primary UPI ID
Once activated as the main payment identity, all future transactions will use the custom ID instead of exposing the original registered phone number.
Major Benefits of These Privacy Features
The new UPI privacy systems can help users:
- Reduce spam calls and unwanted messages
- Protect personal mobile numbers
- Improve digital payment security
- Lower fraud risks
- Maintain privacy during transactions
Experts believe these tools could become especially important as India’s digital payment ecosystem continues expanding rapidly.
Cyber Fraud Cases Increasing in India
India has seen a sharp rise in:
- Fake customer care scams
- UPI fraud calls
- OTP scams
- QR-code frauds
- Social engineering attacks
In many cases, fraudsters misuse leaked phone numbers to target users with phishing attempts and fake banking calls.
Protecting mobile numbers can therefore become an important first layer of digital safety.
UPI Ecosystem Continues Evolving
India’s UPI infrastructure has transformed into one of the world’s largest real-time payment systems.
Platforms such as:
- PhonePe
- Google Pay
- Paytm
- BHIM
continue introducing new features focused on:
- User privacy
- Faster payments
- Better fraud protection
- Secure authentication
Experts Recommend Additional Safety Measures
Along with using custom UPI IDs, cybersecurity professionals also recommend:
- Never sharing OTPs
- Avoiding unknown payment links
- Verifying QR codes carefully
- Keeping app lock enabled
- Monitoring transaction alerts regularly
As digital payments become more common, privacy-focused tools are expected to play a major role in protecting users from online scams and identity misuse.
