Consider yourself in a location with limited or no internet access and you have an urgent need to conduct financial transactions. You can conduct financial transactions by dialling *99# from any phone whether it is a feature or smartphone (if your phone number is registered with your bank for mobile banking services).
What is it?
The facility is part of the NUUP (National Unified USSD Platform) service, which was implemented by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) in 2012 and subsequently expanded in 2014 to include a wider range of services and coverage. The service communicates via the USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) protocol. It is a text-messaging system that works on any phone and is used to deliver texts between a mobile phone and a network application programme.
How does it work?
The NUUP service connects all banks and telecom service providers, allowing customers to use the Unified Payments Interface to access financial services (UPI).
Simply dial *99# and wait a few seconds on the phone. Your screen will display the service options. Transferring funds via your mobile phone, UPI ID, IFSC and bank account number, and other facilities are available. Use the desired service by dialling the number shown next to it. You can also use your mobile number or UPI ID to request a money transfer to yourself, check your bank balance, generate and alter your UPI PIN, and so on. You can use the service to send money to someone who does not use the NUUP service. Your mobile number must, however, be registered with your bank for mobile banking services in order for this service to work.
Transactions
The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and even on holidays, according to NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India). To prevent abuse, the RBI has established a cap of ₹5,000 per transaction, which we think is reasonable. There are no additional fees from the bank for using this USSD code to conduct transactions, but your network provider may charge up to 0.50 per transaction according to Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) norms.
Things to remember
Even if you lose your phone, this service will not be exploited because any transaction will need the user to enter the UPI PIN. To avoid any potential misuse, you should immediately notify the bank and discontinue mobile banking services.
Furthermore, because the service uses the Immediate Payment Service (IMPS), which is a rapid inter-bank fund transfer service, once you have initiated the transfer of cash, it cannot be cancelled, stopped, or reversed. If you have any concerns or problems while using this service, contact your bank or telecom service provider, depending on the nature of the problem.
How to Set up?
- Dial *99# on your phone (do it using the same mobile number registered with your bank account)
- Choose language and enter your Bank Name
- Then it will show all your account linked with your mobile number…choose the account you want to link.
- Now enter the last six digits of your debit card with the expiry date.
- With this, you have completed the set-up process successfully.
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