Petrol dealers in Nashik have become cautious about accepting digital payments, following incidents where some dealers faced financial trouble after unknowingly receiving payments linked to fraudulent transactions.
The Nashik Petrol Dealers’ Association has issued a warning to its members, advising them to stay alert while accepting UPI and other digital payments. This follows a recent decision by the petrol dealers’ association in Nagpur to stop accepting digital payments altogether, after several members faced losses.
Vijay Thakre, president of the Nashik association, explained that some petrol pump owners had complained about amounts being frozen in their bank accounts. In these cases, it turned out that the customers who made digital payments had allegedly used money from fraudulent sources. Once authorities began investigating the original crime, the funds received by the petrol pumps were also frozen.
Thakre noted that though the amounts involved were small at first and didn’t raise serious concern, the situation in Nagpur has shown how it can escalate. He said the association has now asked its members to be cautious, especially with large digital transactions. According to him, dealers should keep digital transaction values small to avoid complications if similar issues arise.
He also pointed out that UPI payments have become a regular part of people's lives, especially at petrol pumps where footfall is high. If the number of such fraud-linked cases rises, and if bigger amounts start getting blocked, Nashik’s dealers may be forced to stop accepting digital payments just like their counterparts in Nagpur.