Fact Check: Can money be stolen from your Paytm account by scanning FASTag on your car? Know the truth-
In the video, a person claims that kids that clean windshields at traffic signals are wearing smart watches, scaning the FASTag sticker, and when scanned, money in Paytm for paying road tolls is automatically deducted.
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New Delhi, June 25: PIB fact check has recently clarified that FASTag stickers attached to vehicles to collect tolls, can't be used to fraudulently steal money from money in online wallets. Fact Checking section of the PIB was responding to a video where such a claim was made.
However, claims made in the viral video are fake, and FASTag stickers can’t be scanned such way to deduct money from account of users. As PIB Factcheck informed, each toll plaza has a unique code, which is mapped with a specific bank account and a geo-code. All these information is mapped on the National Electronic Toll Collection (NEPC) program.
NEPC system enables customers to make e-payment of toll at any NETC-enabled toll plaza on the road without stopping at the toll - the toll amount is automatically deducted.
Moreover, after a toll is paid using FASTag, customer receives a message on the registered phone number. Therefore, if there is any ‘stealing’, they will be alerted immediately and will be able to take preventing measures.
The video posted on a Facebook page, has gone viral with over 2 lakh views. In the video, a person claims that kids that clean windshields at traffic signals are wearing smart watches, scaning the FASTag sticker, and when scanned, money in Paytm for paying road tolls is automatically deducted.
He also said that some people have given such watches to street kids & beggars and probably kids don’t know what is done with the watches. He claimed that he faced such an incident before & advice to be careful about this ‘new scam’.
However, claims made in the viral video are fake, and FASTag stickers can’t be scanned such way to deduct money from account of users. As PIB Factcheck informed, each toll plaza has a unique code, which is mapped with a specific bank account and a geo-code. All these information is mapped on the National Electronic Toll Collection (NEPC) program.
NEPC system enables customers to make e-payment of toll at any NETC-enabled toll plaza on the road without stopping at the toll - the toll amount is automatically deducted.
Apart from Geo code mapped to each toll plaza, the IP are also whitelisted by banks & NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India). Hence, only authorised merchants like toll, parking plazas can collect money using FASTag system.
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Also, for the transaction to go through, the system needs the toll plaza ID. NPCI is linked with banks with secure, unbreached network. Hence, by scanning the tag, it is not possible to steal money from the account of an user, as claimed by the video.
Moreover, after a toll is paid using FASTag, customer receives a message on the registered phone number. Therefore, if there is any ‘stealing’, they will be alerted immediately and will be able to take preventing measures.
Hence, claims made in the video are fake & the video was staged to make a fake claim.