HDFC's Double OTP: Shield Your Parents' Savings?

HDFC Bank now lets senior citizens add a trusted contact who must also approve any money transfer. Both the account holder and the trusted person get separate OTPs. No double approval, no transfer. Simple but powerful protection against scams targeting people over 60.

Here's what happened: HDFC Bank launched a voluntary double OTP feature for account holders aged 60 and above in select cities including Gurugram and Faridabad.. Any outgoing transfer from the senior's account now requires two separate OTPs — one sent to the account holder and one to a pre-registered trusted contact.. The trusted contact is nominated in advance by the senior citizen, typically a family member, and both OTPs must be entered before the transaction goes through..

What you should do: Visit your nearest HDFC Bank branch and ask specifically about enrolling in the double OTP or 'trusted contact' security feature for your senior parent's account.. Register a trusted family member's mobile number on your elderly parent's bank account today — even if your bank hasn't launched this feature yet, ask when they will.. Educate your parents to never share their OTP with anyone, including people claiming to be bank officials — a real bank will never ask for both OTPs over a phone call..

Pro tip: Even without a formal double OTP feature, you can ask your bank to set a daily transfer limit of ₹5,000–₹10,000 on a senior's account — this single step can contain damage from any scam dramatically.