Viral video: Clever teen beats UPI scammer at his own game with fake SMS, he admits defeat—’maan gaya main…’

With online and UPI frauds rising across India, one teenager has gone viral for flipping the script on a scammer—and leaving him completely stunned. A video shared on X shows a teenage girl calmly dealing with a fraudster who tried to con her by pretending to be a friend of her father.

The scammer contacted the girl claiming that her father had asked him to transfer money to her UPI account. Confidently playing his part, he told her that he was sending Rs. 12,000 and followed it up with a fake SMS—sent from a personal number, not a bank—claiming to show that Rs. 10,000 had already been sent to her.

Moments later, he shifted gears and told her that he had mistakenly transferred Rs. 20,000 instead of the remaining Rs. 2,000, and now needed her to return Rs. 18,000 immediately.

What he didn’t expect was the teen’s razor-sharp response. Recognizing the scam early on, she decided to turn the tables. Instead of refusing outright, she edited the fake SMS to make it look like she had returned Rs. 18,000 and forwarded it to the scammer. Without missing a beat, she told him confidently, “There, I’ve also sent you Rs. 18,000.”

The scammer was left speechless. After a pause, he admitted defeat with a reluctant, “Maan gaya main aapko, beta” (I admit I’ve met my match, child), before abruptly ending the call. The moment—caught on camera—has now gone viral, with viewers across social media praising the teen’s presence of mind and quick wit.

Reactions poured in across X. One user commented, “That was great presence of mind.”

Another wrote, “Very very smart girl with great IQ.”

A third user shared, “Same call I got and I almost sent him money but I didn’t. Although I didn’t upload anywhere, I should have.” [sic.]

The viral video has struck a chord with many, especially as cases of UPI-related scams continue to increase nationwide.

From fake OTPs to bogus refund requests, fraudsters are constantly evolving their tactics—but this teen proved that with a little presence of mind, even the most convincing scam can fall apart in seconds.