There isn’t a method a smartwatch can be utilized to scan a FASTag and siphon cash from it, the Nationwide Funds Company of India and Paytm have stated in response to a video that’s being circulated broadly on social media and has led to alarm in lots of circles.
Claims within the video, which present a toddler cleansing a windshield, scanning the FASTag utilizing a smartwatch after which working away when questioned, are baseless and false, stated NPCI, the organisation enabling digital funds and settlement methods in India. It’s misinformation, added Paytm.
The video clip, broadly shared on totally different social media platforms, has amassed lakhs of views, shares and feedback on a number of YouTube channels, Fb and Twitter.
A voiceover in Hindi drives dwelling the purpose: “That is the brand new rip-off that has began now. Youngsters begging at visitors lights are being given smartwatches with scanners embedded in them. Whereas cleansing the automotive, they level their smartwatch in direction of the FASTag, and it e-scans your FASTag. Subsequently, the cash is deducted out of your Paytm account. The identical has occurred to me earlier than additionally.” The three.42 minute clip has no attribution.
An identical declare a couple of ‘FASTag rip-off’ was additionally propounded by magician and illusionist Karan Singh in an interview to content material creator Vinamre Kasanaa on his Dostcast YouTube channel. It garnered virtually 1.5 lakh views and 11,000 shares.
FASTag, based mostly on radio frequency identification (RFID) expertise, is an digital toll assortment system made necessary for all business in addition to private four-wheelers for funds at toll plazas since February final yr.
Whereas Paytm mentioned solely the kid video in its rebuttal, NPCI mentioned the bigger concern of movies making pretend claims.
“A video is spreading misinformation about Paytm FASTag that incorrectly reveals a smartwatch scanning FASTag. As per NETC pointers, FASTag funds could be initiated solely by authorised retailers, onboarded after a number of rounds of testing. Paytm FASTag is totally protected & safe,” Paytm stated in a Twitter publish.
Describing ‘FASTag Rip-off’ movies doing the rounds as “baseless” and “false”, the NPCI additionally put out a protracted Twitter publish explaining its perspective.
It stated the Nationwide Digital Toll Assortment (NETC) FASTag ecosystem is constructed on a four-party mannequin — NPCI, Acquirer Financial institution, Issuer Financial institution, and Toll Plazas. “A number of layers of safety protocols are positioned to make sure the end-to-end protected processing of transactions,” it stated.
“NETC FASTag operates just for Particular person to Service provider (P2M) transactions. No Particular person to Particular person (P2P) transactions are facilitated by means of NETC FASTag Community. This implies a person can’t obtain the cash in NETC FASTag ecosystem from fraudulent transactions,” it added.