Mumbai man alleges FASTag hijack loophole

A Mumbai resident said this week that his vehicle’s FASTag was deactivated while the car was being transported from Mumbai to Delhi, after another tag was allegedly activated against the same registration number. The allegation came in a viral X post by a user identified as Rushil, who said a transporter’s driver was able to get a new FASTag issued without his approval. Mint and Hindustan Times both reported the claim on May 18 and May 19, citing Rushil’s account of the incident. No public statement from NPCI, IHMCL, ICICI Bank or Airtel Payments Bank addressing this specific case was visible in the material reviewed. ### What exactly does the Mumbai man say happened on the trip to Delhi? Rushil wrote on X that the incident happened while his car was in transit from Mumbai to Delhi through a transporter service. He said the driver asked whether there was balance in the existing FASTag before taking the vehicle. (livemint.com) The next morning, Rushil said, ICICI Bank sent him a message saying a new FASTag had been activated on his vehicle and that his existing tag would be deactivated under the “One Vehicle One FASTag” policy. He said the original tag was then blacklisted within minutes. (hindustantimes.com) Rushil alleged that the replacement tag had been issued through Airtel Payments Bank using the driver’s mobile number and details. He wrote that there was “No OTP. No owner authorization. No consent from the actual vehicle owner.” ### Why did the “One Vehicle One FASTag” rule matter in his account? (hindustantimes.com) ICICI Bank’s message, as described by Rushil, tied the deactivation to the “One Vehicle One FASTag” policy. That rule is meant to prevent multiple active tags against the same vehicle, and in Rushil’s account it is the mechanism that he says caused his original tag to be shut off once the second tag was activated. (hindustantimes.com) IHMCL’s FASTag page says users can check the status of multiple FASTags linked to a vehicle and carries FAQs on the “One Vehicle One FASTag” concept. The page also says FASTag is part of a nationwide electronic toll collection system run on interoperable standards. ### Could the vehicle owner shut the new tag down immediately? Rushil said customer support told him only the person who activated the new FASTag could request deactivation. (hindustantimes.com) He wrote that despite being the vehicle owner, he could not get the newly issued tag closed right away. (ihmcl.co.in) That claim is central to why the post spread. Rushil described the situation as one in which “the actual vehicle owner has ZERO control,” and he called for OTP verification before any FASTag-related change is approved. ### What do the official FASTag channels say users should do in disputes? (hindustantimes.com) NETC FASTag’s official FAQ says customers should contact their issuing bank’s customer service desk for incorrect deductions, double deductions, delayed delivery and other tag-related disputes. The same FAQ says a customer who has lost or damaged a tag should immediately ask the bank to blacklist it so no further transaction is allowed. (hindustantimes.com) NPCI’s complaint-status portal says users can register complaints with member banks and institutions using NPCI-operated payment systems, including FASTag, and then track the status with a complaint reference number. NPCI says the relevant bank or institution is responsible for resolving the complaint. ### Is this the first time FASTag complaints have surfaced? NHAI-related FASTag complaints have surfaced before, though not necessarily with the same allegation. (netc.org.in) A March 2025 Times of India report said authorities had identified instances of false toll deductions, largely tied to incorrect vehicle-number entries by toll operators, and had imposed penalties in such cases. (npci.org.in) A 2024 Indian Express report described a Mumbai case in which a retired man said his vehicle number had been cloned and toll deductions were made while his car remained parked. That case involved alleged misuse of vehicle details rather than the deactivation-and-replacement sequence described by Rushil. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com) ### What happens next for this case? As of May 20, the public record around this case remains Rushil’s account and follow-up media reports citing that account. Users seeking to check linked FASTags can use the Rajmargyatra status tool, while disputes over deductions or tag status are routed through the issuing bank and NPCI complaint channels, according to IHMCL, NETC and NPCI materials. (rajmargyatra.nhai.gov.in) (indianexpress.com)