Think Before You Trial: How UPI Autopay Mandate Could Cost You Without You Noticing, What To Do About It

UPI Autopay Mandate Cancellation: A recent anonymous letter submitted to the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has flagged serious concerns about how certain digital platforms, allegedly Kuku FM and Stage, handle subscriptions and payments. The complaint, which alleges deceptive billing practices, is part of a larger conversation unfolding across the country around the use of dark patterns in digital interfaces.

"These apps typically offer a trial subscription for Rs 1 or Rs 2," the letter reads. "However, users are not clearly informed that starting the trial will automatically set up a recurring auto-debit for Rs 149 to Rs 699 after the trial ends." It goes on to allege that they found the cancellation process unclear, not always in-app, and difficult to navigate, especially for users from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities.

A similar issue was also reported earlier this month by the publication The Ken.

However, while subscribing to any platforms, it is important for an user to read the terms and conditions when making any payment even for trial subscriptions.

What Did The Companies Say?

While talking to Outlook Money, Kuku FM co-founder Lal Chand Bisu defended the platform's model, stating that cancellation instructions and payment terms are clearly communicated.

"You can go to the app settings and cancel it easily. And you can cancel from PhonePe and Paytm also," he said. "Some users uninstall the app and think the subscription will automatically get removed. These users get confused. The rest know they are subscribing to Autopay and can cancel it anytime."

Bisu added that Kuku FM processes refunds quickly and offers notifications, including those via WhatsApp, before deductions. "After seven days, your plan will start, and every three months we will deduct the money. Everything is there, actually."

According to him, about 90 per cent of the platform's users pay via UPI Autopay.

Despite these claims, user reviews tell a mixed story. Many users reported being unaware of recurring charges and struggling to locate the unsubscribe option, with some stating they weren't refunded after cancellation in the review section of the Google Play Store.

In response to the allegations of unclear subscription practices, Vinay Singhal, CEO and co-founder of the dialect OTT platform STAGE, pushed back strongly against claims of dark patterns.

Singhal said, "We have an extremely clear payment page where in written as well as a video from our brand ambassador Neeraj Chopra which explains clearly about the trial and Autopay and the fact that they will be charged automatically."

Singhal emphasised that STAGE uses multiple layers of communication to inform users about its Rs 1 trial and the Rs 199 quarterly auto-debit that follows. "We explain everything very clearly on the payment page, in both Hindi and English. We also use a video from our brand ambassador, Neeraj Chopra, to explain the trial terms upfront. He says it plainly: Rs 1 now, Rs 199 after seven days, and you can cancel anytime."

Communication continues after the trial begins. "We send WhatsApp messages because no one reads SMS anymore, repeatedly during the trial period. These messages include images or videos reiterating the trial details and the upcoming auto-debit," Singhal added.

Most crucially, STAGE claims to go beyond regulatory mandates. "RBI requires that users be notified 24 hours before any recurring debit. While most platforms only send an SMS, we send both SMS and WhatsApp messages. We know WhatsApp is read, 95 per cent of our users open these messages."

On cancellation, Singhal was emphatic: "You can cancel or pause directly in the app, no calls needed. But if you do want to call, we have a direct customer support line. No IVR hell. And we have a no-questions-asked refund policy."

He acknowledged that some users still leave frustrated reviews on the Play Store but blamed Google's system for the communication gap. "We reply to every review and provide our number and email, but we can't track users via email, only phone numbers. These are often people who never reached out to us directly."

How to Cancel UPI Autopay

UPI Autopay was introduced to simplify recurring payments using India's real-time payments system. While easy to activate, mandates remain active until manually cancelled. Many users wrongly believe that uninstalling an app cancels their subscription.

To protect yourself, it's important to regularly review your active mandates across UPI apps. Here's how:

How to cancel UPI mandate in Google Pay

Open the app, tap your profile icon

Go to Settings > Payment Methods

Under "Recurring Payments," select the mandate

Tap Cancel and enter your UPI PIN

How to cancel UPI mandate in PhonePe

Open the app and go to UPI > Mandates

Select and cancel the active subscription mandate

How to cancel UPI mandate in Paytm

Open the app and navigate to UPI > Mandates

Select and revoke the mandate

How To Cancel UPI mandate in BHIM App

Go to Mandates, choose the one to cancel, and confirm with your MPIN

How to cancel UPI mandate in Bank apps

Use your bank's mobile app (SBI, HDFC, ICICI, Axis, etc.)

Look under UPI Services or Recurring Payments to find and cancel mandates

If you can't find the mandate, contact your bank's customer support directly for help.

Dark Patterns Under Regulatory Lens

Dark patterns refer to deceptive interface designs that mislead users into actions they may not have taken if they were fully informed. The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) defines one such example as a "subscription trap", where users are tricked into signing up for recurring charges and find it confusing or difficult to cancel.

In November 2023, the Department of Consumer Affairs released guidelines identifying 13 specific dark patterns, including "False Urgency," "Confirm Shaming," "Forced Action," and "Drip Pricing." Subscription traps and hidden auto-renewals are among the most common.

On May 28, 2025, the Ministry held a high-level stakeholder meeting in New Delhi to address these very concerns. Major digital and e-commerce companies, including Amazon, Paytm, Meesho, and Flipkart, were in attendance, signalling the government's growing focus on cleaning up deceptive online practices.

A government's official statement read, "erode consumer trust, distort fair market dynamics, and pose a serious threat to the integrity of digital commerce."