If you’ve ever opened your bank app and been bombarded with messages asking you to buy extra services, you’re not alone.
Maybe you’ve also noticed extra charges popping up at the final payment screen.
Frustrating, right?
Now, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has stepped in — and it’s sending a clear message to banks: stop confusing customers.
RBI’s Clear Warning to Banks
In the draft of Responsible Business Conduct Amendment Directions, 2026, the RBI has ordered banks to clean up their digital platforms.
By July 2026, banks must remove all “dark patterns” from their websites and mobile apps.
What does that mean?
No more tricky design tactics.
No more forcing customers into buying products.
And no more hiding important details in fine print.
Banks will now have to:
Take clear and explicit consent before offering financial products
Stop bundling products together without permission
Make charges and terms fully transparent
In simple words, customers must clearly understand what they are signing up for.
What Are “Dark Patterns” — And Why Do They Matter?
Dark patterns are clever design tricks used on digital platforms to influence your decisions.
These may include:
Hidden charges revealed at the last step
Confusing buttons that push you toward “Accept”
Repeated pop-ups urging you to activate extra services
Many users don’t even realize they are being nudged into paying more.
A report by India Today highlighted findings from a LocalCircles survey.
The survey gathered responses from over 1.6 lakh people across 388 districts — and the results were eye-opening.
Many users said:
Charges were not clearly disclosed at the beginning
Extra fees appeared at the final stage of transactions
Constant notifications to activate services felt annoying
These practices are more common than most people think.
What This Means for You
With more people relying on mobile banking, transparency has become essential.
The RBI’s move aims to make digital banking:
Easier to understand
Fairer for customers
More trustworthy
Banks now have a deadline. By July 2026, they must fully comply.
For customers, this could mean fewer surprises, fewer hidden fees, and more control over financial decisions.
Digital banking is meant to make life simpler — and the RBI wants to ensure it stays that way.
