PhonePe fraud case involving UP MLA Pooja Pal: timeline, investigation and safety tips

What happened in the PhonePe fraud case

On 19 September 2026, Uttar Pradesh MLA Pooja Pal filed an FIR stating that about ₹1.55 lakh was taken from her Union Bank of India account without her consent through PhonePe and UPI (Source 1). She said the withdrawals occurred in several transactions between 22 August and 13 September 2026.

Details of the unauthorized transactions

The money was removed in multiple PhonePe‑UPI payments over a three‑week period, as noted in her complaint (Source 2). She became aware of the activity on 14 September after reviewing her bank statement and suspects her iPhone 17 may have been compromised. The MLA has asked the cyber cell to conduct a technical audit of her mobile device and to review all transaction IDs and UTR numbers linked to the alleged fraud.

Police investigation and the MLA’s requests

Officers at Dhoomanganj police station registered the case under Section 66D of the IT Act and are examining her mobile device, PhonePe account, UPI transaction IDs and bank records (Source 3). Pooja Pal has requested recovery of the stolen amount, a detailed investigation into all PhonePe and UPI transactions made between 22 August and 13 September, and measures to prevent any further unauthorized withdrawals. She also wants the police to check where the withdrawn money was transferred and which bank accounts or digital payment channels received it.

How PhonePe users can protect their accounts

• Enable two‑factor authentication in the PhonePe app.
• Regularly check transaction history and enable instant alerts for every payment.
• Keep the smartphone operating system and all apps updated to the latest version.
• If you notice any suspicious activity, contact your bank immediately, block the PhonePe account and file a cyber‑crime complaint.

Users should also regularly review their linked bank accounts and ensure that only trusted devices have access to their PhonePe profile.

Why PhonePe searches rose sharply

According to Google Trends India, searches for ‘phonepe’ grew by about 50 % in the last 24 hours, accompanied by spikes in terms such as gst payment, npci, payment, paytm and UP (Source 4). This surge reflects public interest after the fraud case became known.