IPS Upasana who is the SP/CID of Haryana Police has announced on X, a new key initiative for the benefit of senior citizens (individuals aged above 60 years and aboveage) to protect them from cyber fraud, digital arrest and other scams involving money. This key initiative is the double OTP system.
Under the double OTP system, both the senior citizen (the account holder) and a trusted contact of theirs or their family will receive two OTPs. Once both the OTPs are given to the bank, then only money can can be transferred; else it will be stopped.
Haryana Police said on X: “A Key Initiative for the Safety of Senior Citizens — “Double OTP System. Now, during banking transactions, the Authentication OTP will be sent not only to the account holder's mobile but also to their Trusted Contact/family member's mobile. The amount will be transferred only after verification of both OTPs. This facility is voluntary for senior citizens aged 60 years and above. Currently implemented by HDFC Bank in Gurugram and Faridabad.”
How does this help senior citizens?
Ranjeet Bellary, Partner EY Forensic and Integrity Services - Cyber Forensics said to ET Wealth Online that the Double OTP system is a very thoughtful intervention especially in the context of digital arrest scams and similar frauds that rely more on psychological manipulation than technical hacking.
Digital arrest scams typically work by impersonating police/Govt officials, creating panic. Thus Bellary says that the Double OTP introduces a pause, even if a senior citizen is pressured into sharing their OTP the fraud cannot be completed without a second OTP from a trusted person.
Bellary says: "It adds a ‘Human Firewall’ by forming a human checkpoint that can prevent fraud before money leaves the account."
Moreover, since senior citizens are often targeted because of limited familiarity with evolving fraud tactics, higher trust in authority figures, emotional vulnerability and isolation. Bellary says that the double OTP compensates for digital literacy gaps, reducing dependence on the senior citizen’s judgement alone and it also reduces psychological isolation which is a key element in digital arrest frauds
According to a report by Hindustan Times, Vipin Gupta, project’s nodal officer, HDFC Bank, said that it was DGP Haryana Ajay Singhal who had mooted the plan after which the bank had started working on the project from April 14, 2026 and now at least 50 branches in Gurugram and Panchkula are giving the facility to senior citizen.
The report quoted Singhal saying: "We are contacting them too to avail it. We are making backend changes to make this security feature technically viable.”
IPS Upasana in a video which was also shared by Haryana Police said that under this system senior citizens can prevent loss of money in cyber crimes including digital arrest as the money from their bank will only be transferred once the bank verifies the double OTP.
