Jharsuguda/Bhubaneswar: Jharsuguda police on Friday busted a cash-exchange scam in which two fraudsters allegedly flashed fake UPI payment-success screenshots to dupe unsuspecting shopkeepers into handing over cash, without making any actual digital payment to them.Jharsuguda SP Gundala Reddy Raghavendra said: “We arrested two accused Ranjan Barik (29) and Md Sahbaj (36), both locals of Jharsuguda. As per the modus operandi, they requested cash in return for supposed UPI transfers and showed fake payment confirmation (screenshots) as proof.”Police came across multiple complaints from local shopkeepers, who fell victims to the fraud. The accused duped several vendors of Rs 45,400 in the last few weeks.“The fraudsters used a counterfeit payment interface designed to mimic the appearance and transaction flow of a genuine UPI application, including a fabricated success message, transaction details and payment-like sound. Believing the messages as true, the shopkeepers gave cash to the accused,” the SP said.Police advised people not to rely on screenshots, success messages or payment sounds shown on customers’ phones. They should verify the credit in their own bank account or genuine UPI/merchant app before handing over cash or goods.According to police, a fake UPI payment scam is a type of digital payment fraud where scammers trick victims into believing that a UPI transaction has been completed, even though no money has actually been transferred. Fraudsters typically use fake payment screenshots, counterfeit UPI apps, manipulated transaction receipts, or fabricated payment notifications to create the illusion of a successful payment.“We advise users to verify incoming payments directly in their bank account or official UPI app instead of relying on screenshots, SMS messages, or notifications shown by the payer. Fraudsters share edited or fabricated payment screenshots to convince merchants that a transaction has been completed when no money has been transferred,” the SP said.