*99# Mobile Banking Services : Mini Statement,Balance Enquiry and Fund Transfer

*99# Mobile Banking Services : Mini Statement,Balance Enquiry and Fund Transfer | *99# Banklist and Short code | *99# NUUP Charges @.5 Rs per Transaction

After demonetization, India is singing the song of cashless transactions. As this song is becoming popular by the day, we felt the need for writing an article on mobile banking services offered by National Payments Corporation of India using the universal code *99#. In this article, we will be sharing everything that you need to know about *99# services. In case you feel like going cashless, this article will come in handy for you to a great extent. So, roll up your sleeves and sit tight. This article is going to be a bit long. There is enough to write and enough to explain. We will pick up everything and move ahead one step at a time.

*99# Mobile Banking Services

What is *99# service?

This is the first question that comes to your mind. Well, it is the universal code that can be used by any mobile user in India for accessing mobile banking services. Not everyone has a smartphone and hence, mobile banking apps are not available to everyone. Many people in India still make use of the simple handsets with keypads and small TFT screens that are good for nothing other than calling or receiving calls and receiving or sending SMS. What about those users? Can they not use any mobile banking service like money transfer, account statement etc. using their simple and basic phones?

Yes, now they can! With the *99# service started by NPCI or National Payments Corporation of India, mobile banking is made available to everyone who has a mobile phone – basic phone or smartphone. The only requirement for the basic phone users is that the handset should be a GSM handset. While most of the basic handsets are GSM handsets, some basic handsets in India are CDMA handsets. Users of CDMA handsets are out of luck because on GSM handset owners can use this service.

A bit more about *99# service

*99# is a basically a mobile banking service. This service has been introduced by NPCI or National Payments Corporation of India. This service is based on USSD. USSD stands for Unstructured Supplementary Service Data. This *99# service by NPCI brings together two different types of service providers together. These two different service providers are Banks and TSPs. TSPs stand for Telecom Service Providers. Yes, Banks and TSPs work together to make the *99# service successful.

This service can be accessed by any GSM handset owner to get a number of financial services. All that a person needs to do is dial the code *99# from his or her handset and then follow a few simple steps to get access to the services that are provided by the banks through this universal code. However, for a person to be able to use this service, he or she should have mobile banking activated and also, he should use the same phone number to dial the code which is registered with his or her for mobile banking.

What on earth is USSD?

Now that we have a brief idea of what actually *99# service is all about, we need to turn our focus on USSD. We mentioned this earlier and only told the full form of the abbreviation. But what really is that? USSD or Unstructured Supplementary Service Data is basically a technology. This technology is used only and only by GSM handsets. GSM stands for Global System for Mobile Communications.

Now, GSM handsets come with an inbuilt capability of information transmission over signalling channels used by GSM networks. This capability or technology of information transmission is known as USSD. This USSD technology provides what is known as session-based communication. Because of this session-based communication, the USSD technology is capable of enabling a wide range of applications. Previously USSD was primarily used for telecommunications. However, because of its session-based communication capabilities, USSD technology has now been introduced into enabling banking services over the GSM networks.

What are some of the most important features of *99# services?

Here are the most important features of the *99# service in a tabular format:

No internet needed In order to use this service, you don’t need to have internet on your phone. This service basically uses what is known as voice connectivity.
TSP independent code The code *99# is totally independent of TSP or telecom service provider. This means that irrespective of the mobile network you are using, you will be able to use this code.
Free while roaming Whether you are within your state or whether you are outstation in a different state, you can always use this service for free. There are no charges for using this service while you are on roaming.
Independent of mobile handset Whether you have a smartphone or a simple basic phone, you can use this service as long as your mobile handset is a GSM handset and it is using a TSP that uses GSM network.
24 x 7 x 365 availability Whether it is a public holiday or whether it is a weekend, you need not worry about not being able to use banking services. The *99# mobile banking service works 365 days a year, 24 hours a day!
No app installation required You don’t have to install any kind of application on your mobile handset to be able to use this service.

This *99# service has become a new channel for using banking services and of course, when it comes to financial inclusion of all Indians, this service becomes one of the most important catalysts.

Now, the most important question…

What services are provided through *99#?

*99# service provided by National Payments Corporation of India allows customers to enjoy the following services using their GSM handset:

  • Financial services
  • Non-financial services
  • VAS or Value Added Services

These are basically broad heads. There are multiple services available under each of this broad service group. As of now, the number of services provided under each broad head are limited and have mentioned in the table below:

Financial Services Non-financial Services Value Added Services
Person to Person Fund Transfer (known as P2P) Knowing the MMID Query Service on Aadhaar Mapper or QSAM. It is also known as *99*99# service
Generating MPIN
Person to Account Fund Transfer (known as P2A) Changing MPIN
Generating OTP
Person to UID Fund Transfer (Known as P2U) Balance Enquiry
Mini Statement

Now, let us take a quick look at each of the service heads of the *99# service in a bit of details. We will take on each of the individual component in details later in this article.

Financial services

The financial services offered through *99# involves only fund transfer. However, there are various options available for fund transfers. Let us take a quick look at them:

There are three ways in which funds can be transferred using the *99# service. These are:

MMID and Mobile Number-based fund transfer In this method, you will have to know the MMID and the mobile number of the beneficiary to whom you will be transferring funds.
Account number and IFSC-based fund transfer This is more or less like direct bank transfer where you will need to know the account number of the beneficiary and the IFS code of the bank branch where the account is located.
Aadhaar Number-based fund transfer In this method, you will need to know the Aadhaar number of the beneficiary to transfer funds.

Non-financial services

Non-financial services involve a number of services which are usually used as an aid for financial book keeping or direct financial services like fund transfer. These non-financial services do not involve transfer of funds. Let us take a quick look at the various non-financial services that are covered under the *99# service of NPCI.

Balance Enquiry You can check the balance in your bank account. However, you will have to have your mobile number linked with your bank account and mobile banking should be active.
Generation of Mini Statement You can generate a mini statement of your savings bank account. As before, mobile banking should be active and the number should be linked to your bank account.
Knowing MMID or Mobile Money Identifier When mobile banking is registered for a person, something called Mobile Money Identifier of MMID is allocated. People don’t usually use this pretty often and hence, forget the same. The *99# code can be used for knowing the MMID.
Generating MPIN MPIN stands for Mobile PIN. This is more like a password which a user needs for authorizing any financial transaction through mobile banking. This MPIN can be generated or a new one can be set by a person using the *99# service.
Changing MPIN Generating or setting MPIN is always an option however, once it is set, it cannot be set again. The only thing that can be done is changing the MPIN. In case you want to change your MPIN, you can use the *99# service.
Generating OTP OTP stands for One Time Password. It is basically an additional layer of security that people use for various types of transactions. Using OTP is always a good idea because fraudsters cannot get hold of OTP unless it is explicitly handed over to them.
† In case you are not aware, MMID is basically a 7-digit code. This code is generated and handed over to you when you activate your mobile banking service with your bank.

Value Added Service

The Value Added Services provided through *99# is currently limited to knowing whether your bank account and your Aadhaar number are linked or not. No other Value Added Services are provided as of now.

List of banks that Allow *99# Banking Services with their 3 digit short code

Bank Name *99# Short Code
Abhyudaya Co-op Bank Co-op (ABHY) ACB
Allahabad Bank Public (ALLA)  ALB
Andhra Bank Public (ANDB) ANB
Apna Sahakari Bank Co-op (ASBL)  APN
Axis Bank Private (UTIB) AXB
Bank of Baroda Public (BARB) BOB
Bank of India Public (BKID) BOI
Bank of Maharashtra Public (MAHB) BOM
Bhartiya Mahila Bank Public (BMBL)  BMB
Canara Bank Public (CNRB) CNB
Central Bank of India Public (CBIN)  CBI
Corporation Bank Public (CORP) CRB
DCB Bank Private (DCBL)  DCB
Dena Bank Public (BKDN) DNB
Federal Bank Private (FDRL) FBL
Gujarat State Co-op Bank Co-op (GSCB) GSC
Hasti Co-op Bank Co-op (HCBL) HCB
HDFC Bank Private (HDFC) HDF
ICICI Bank Private (ICICI) ICI
IDBI Bank Public (IBKL) IDB
Indian Bank Public (IDIB) INB
Indian Overseas Bank Public (IOBA) IOB
IndusInd Bank Private (INDB) IIB
ING Vysya Bank Private (VYSA) ING
Janata Sahakari Bank Co-op (JSBP) JSB
Karnataka Bank Private (KARB) KTB
Oriental Bank of Commerce Public (ORBC) OBC
Punjab & Sind Bank Public (PSIB) PSB
Punjab National Bank Public (PUNB) PNB
State Bank of India Public (SBIN) SBI
Syndicate Bank Public (SYNB) SYB
Union Bank of India Public (UBIN0 UOB
Yes Bank Private (YESB) YBL

Getting started with *99#

Before you start using *99# services, here are a few things that you will need:

  • You will need your mobile number already registered with your bank for mobile banking.
  • Mobile banking services should be already active for your account.
  • Your phone should be a GSM handset.
  • Your registered phone number should be on and active in your phone.

If all these conditions are met, you can get started with *99# service. In case any of these conditions are not met, you need to make sure that these conditions are fulfilled. Unless the conditions are fulfilled, the *99# service will not work.

For instance, if your handset is not a GSM handset, you will have switch to a GSM handset. Similarly, if mobile banking is not active for your bank account, you need to activate the service. In case your mobile number has not been registered with your bank for mobile banking, you need request your bank branch to active mobile banking for your phone number and your account.

Once you are sure that all the prerequisites are fulfilled, you can start using the *99# service.

How do you use different services using *99#?

Here in this section we will take you through a step-by-step guide of using various services that are offered under the *99# service. Let us first get started with the Non-financial services which are simple and easy.

Non-financial service: Balance Enquiry

WHAT CAN YOU DO? YOU CAN CHECK THE BALANCE IN YOUR ACCOUNT USING THIS SERVICE
WHAT SUB-CODE TO USE? THE SUB-CODE THAT YOU NEED TO USE IS ‘1’
Serial Number Steps to Follow
# 1 Use your mobile handset and dial *99#
# 2 You will see a welcome message on the screen of your phone. You will be asked to enter any one of the following:

(a)    First 3 letters of your bank’s short name or,

(b)   First 4 letters of your bank’s IFS code.

Enter either one of the two. It should be a valid one. Make sure that you check your bank’s short name and IFS code properly before you start using this service.

# 3 After you enter either one of the two options given and hit ok, you will see a list of services available. The first option with serial number 1 is for Balance Enquiry.
# 4 Enter the sub-code (that is the serial number of the service) 1 and press submit.
# 5 You will see a confirmation screen. The balance of your account will be displayed on your phone’s screen.

That’s all! That is how you check the balance of your account using *99# service. It is not rocket science, is it?

Non-financial service: Mini Statement

WHAT CAN YOU DO? YOU CAN GENERATE A MINI STATEMENT FOR YOUR ACCOUNT USING THIS SERVICE
WHAT SUB-CODE TO USE? THE SUB-CODE THAT YOU NEED TO USE IS ‘2’
Serial Number Steps to Follow
# 1 Use your mobile handset and dial *99#
# 2 You will see a welcome message on the screen of your phone. You will be asked to enter any one of the following:

(a)    First 3 letters of your bank’s short name or,

(b)   First 4 letters of your bank’s IFS code.

Enter either one of the two. It should be a valid one. Make sure that you check your bank’s short name and IFS code properly before you start using this service.

# 3 After you enter either one of the two options given and hit ok, you will see a list of services available. The second option with serial number 2 is for Mini Statement generation.
# 4 Enter the sub-code (that is the serial number of the service) 2 and press submit.
# 5 You will see a confirmation screen. The mini statement for your account will be displayed on your phone’s screen.

Non-financial service: Knowing your MMID

WHAT CAN YOU DO? YOU CAN KNOW THE MMID FOR YOUR ACCOUNT USING THIS SERVICE
WHAT SUB-CODE TO USE? THE SUB-CODE THAT YOU NEED TO USE IS ‘6’
Serial Number Steps to Follow
# 1 Use your mobile handset and dial *99#
# 2 You will see a welcome message on the screen of your phone. You will be asked to enter any one of the following:

(a)    First 3 letters of your bank’s short name or,

(b)   First 4 letters of your bank’s IFS code.

Enter either one of the two. It should be a valid one. Make sure that you check your bank’s short name and IFS code properly before you start using this service.

# 3 After you enter either one of the two options given and hit ok, you will see a list of services available. The sixth option with serial number 6 is for knowing your MMID.
# 4 Enter the sub-code (that is the serial number of the service) 6 and press submit.
# 5 You will see a confirmation screen. The MMID that was generated for your account will be displayed on your phone’s screen.

Non-financial service: Changing your MPIN

WHAT CAN YOU DO? YOU CAN CHANGE THE MPIN FOR YOUR ACCOUNT USING THIS SERVICE
WHAT SUB-CODE TO USE? THE SUB-CODE THAT YOU NEED TO USE IS ‘7’
Serial Number Steps to Follow
# 1 Use your mobile handset and dial *99#
# 2 You will see a welcome message on the screen of your phone. You will be asked to enter any one of the following:

(a)    First 3 letters of your bank’s short name or,

(b)   First 4 letters of your bank’s IFS code.

Enter either one of the two. It should be a valid one. Make sure that you check your bank’s short name and IFS code properly before you start using this service.

# 3 After you enter either one of the two options given and hit ok, you will see a list of services available. The seventh option with serial number 7 is for changing your MPIN.
# 4 Enter the sub-code (that is the serial number of the service) 7 and press submit.
# 5 You will receive a screen where you will have to enter the OLD MPIN and then the NEW MPIN. Once you do that, press confirm.
# 6 You will now see a confirmation screen on which you will receive the message that MPIN has been changed successfully.

Non-financial service: Generating OTP or One Time Password

WHAT CAN YOU DO? YOU CAN GENERATE OTP OR ONE TIME PASSWORD FOR YOUR ACCOUNT USING THIS SERVICE. THIS OTP CAN BE USED AS A SECOND FACTOR AUTHENTICATION
WHAT SUB-CODE TO USE? THE SUB-CODE THAT YOU NEED TO USE IS ‘7’
Serial Number Steps to Follow
# 1 Use your mobile handset and dial *99#
# 2 You will see a welcome message on the screen of your phone. You will be asked to enter any one of the following:

(a)    First 3 letters of your bank’s short name or,

(b)   First 4 letters of your bank’s IFS code.

Enter either one of the two. It should be a valid one. Make sure that you check your bank’s short name and IFS code properly before you start using this service.

# 3 After you enter either one of the two options given and hit ok, you will see a list of services available. The 8th option with serial number 8 is for generating OTP.
# 4 Enter the sub-code (that is the serial number of the service) 8 and press submit.
# 5 You will receive a screen where you will have to enter your MPIN
# 6 You will now see a confirmation screen on which you will receive the OTP or One Time Password that you can use as authentication factor for a service.

That concludes our non-financial services. Now we will take a look at how to use the various financial services using *99#. Remember that financial services are only limited to fund transfer but there are different methods of fund transfer which are allowed using the *99# service. Let us quickly go through those.

Financial service: Mobile Number and MMID-based fund transfer

In this method, you can use the mobile number and MMID (of the person to whom you want to send money) for transferring funds. The steps involved (or better said, transaction flow) is given in the table below:

WHAT CAN YOU DO?YOU CAN TRANSFER FUND TO A BENEFICIARY USING MOBILE NUMBER AND MMID OF THE BENEFICIARY
WHAT SUB-CODE TO USE? THE SUB-CODE THAT YOU NEED TO USE IS ‘3’
Serial Number Steps to Follow
# 1 Start by dialling *99# on your mobile handset.
# 2 Once you dial *99#, you will see a welcome screen where you will be asked to enter either:

(a)    First 4 letters of your bank’s IFS code or,

(b)   First 3 letters of your bank’s short name

In case you do not know either, you can visit your bank branch and ask for the details. Make sure that you are entering correct information.

# 3 After you enter either one of the two options given and hit ok, you will see a list of services available. The 3rdoption with serial number 3 is for transferring fund using mobile number and MMID.
# 4 Enter the sub-code (that is the serial number of the service) 3 and press submit.
# 5 On the next screen you receive, you will have to enter the following details:

(a)    Mobile number of the beneficiary.

(b)   MMID of the beneficiary.

(c)    Amount you want to transfer.

(d)   Remarks (if any).

Remember that remark is optional. You may write something or simply leave it blank.

# 6 On the next screen, you will have to enter the MPIN (your MPIN). You may also enter your account’s last 4 digits but it is however optional. Confirm when you are done.
# 7 Once the transaction goes through, you will see a confirmation screen where you will see ‘success’ response. In case the transaction fails for a reason, you will see ‘failed’ message.

Financial service: Account Number and IFS Code-based fund transfer

In this kind of fund transfer service, you will need the account number as well as the IFS code of the beneficiary. In case you know the both, here are the steps that you need to follow to use this method of fund transfer:

WHAT CAN YOU DO?YOU CAN TRANSFER FUND TO A BENEFICIARY USING ACCOUNT NUMBER AND IFSC OF THE BENEFICIARY
WHAT SUB-CODE TO USE? THE SUB-CODE THAT YOU NEED TO USE IS ‘4’
Serial Number Steps to Follow
# 1 Start by dialling *99# on your mobile handset.
# 2 Once you dial *99#, you will see a welcome screen where you will be asked to enter either:

(a)    First 4 letters of your bank’s IFS code or,

(b)   First 3 letters of your bank’s short name

In case you do not know either, you can visit your bank branch and ask for the details. Make sure that you are entering correct information.

# 3 After you enter either one of the two options given and hit ok, you will see a list of services available. The 4th option with serial number 4 is for transferring fund using Account number and IFS Code.
# 4 Enter the sub-code (that is the serial number of the service) 4 and press submit.
# 5 On the next screen you will receive, you will have to enter the following details:

(a)    Account number of the beneficiary.

(b)   IFS Code of the bank branch of the beneficiary.

(c)    Amount you want to transfer.

(d)   Remarks (if any).

Remember that remark is optional. You may write something or simply leave it blank.

# 6 On the next screen, you will have to enter the MPIN (your MPIN). You may also enter your account’s last 4 digits but it is however optional. Confirm when you are done.
# 7 Once the transaction goes through, you will see a confirmation screen where you will see ‘success’ response. In case the transaction fails for a reason, you will see ‘failed’ message.

Financial service: Aadhaar Number-based fund transfer

In this type of fund transfer, you will need the beneficiary’s Aadhaar Number. In case you want to use this method, you need to follow the steps mentioned in the table below:

WHAT CAN YOU DO?YOU CAN TRANSFER FUND TO A BENEFICIARY USING AADHAAR NUMBER OF THE BENEFICIARY
WHAT SUB-CODE TO USE? THE SUB-CODE THAT YOU NEED TO USE IS ‘5’
Serial Number Steps to Follow
# 1 Start by dialling *99# on your mobile handset.
# 2 Once you dial *99#, you will see a welcome screen where you will be asked to enter either:

(a)    First 4 letters of your bank’s IFS code or,

(b)   First 3 letters of your bank’s short name

In case you do not know either, you can visit your bank branch and ask for the details. Make sure that you are entering correct information.

# 3 After you enter either one of the two options given and hit ok, you will see a list of services available. The 5th option with serial number 5 is for transferring fund using Aadhaar number.
# 4 Enter the sub-code (that is the serial number of the service) 5 and press submit.
# 5 On the next screen you receive, you will have to enter the following details:

(a)    Beneficiary’s Aadhaar Number

(b)   Amount you want to transfer.

(c)    Remarks (if any).

Remember that remark is optional. You may write something or simply leave it blank.

# 6 On the next screen, you will have to enter the MPIN (your MPIN). You may also enter your account’s last 4 digits but it is however optional. Confirm when you are done.
# 7 Once the transaction goes through, you will see a confirmation screen where you will see ‘success’ response. In case the transaction fails for a reason, you will see ‘failed’ message.

IMPORTANT THING YOU SHOULD REMEMBER

Do remember that different banks will have different authentication methods in place. The security measure that a bank may ask for may differ from the security method that is used by some other bank. Usually, they will use any one of the following two:

  • You may have to enter the last 4 digits of your own account number as a security measure.
  • You may have to enter your user ID.

So, make sure that you have both in your mind.

*99# banking services FAQ

Is the *99# service free?

No, the service is not free. Your TSP will charge a certain amount of money. Different TSPs can have different charges. However, the maximum amount that a TSP can charge is INR 1.50. This is a TRAI mandate that no TSP should charge any more than INR 1.50 per transaction. However, different TSPs can charge less than the set ceiling.

For financial services, what is the maximum fund transfer limit?

The maximum fund transfer limit using *99# service is INR 5,000 in a single transaction. In case you want to transfer more, you need to carry out a second transaction and subsequent transactions.

Is it possible to stop or cancel a financial transaction once it has been initiate?

If necessary, think 100 times before you initiate a transfer using *99# service. The reason we are saying this is that once you initiate the transfer, it cannot be stopped or cancelled. This service uses what is known as IMPS channel. IMPS is for immediate fund transfer. This means that the moment you initiate the transfer, the fund will reach the beneficiary account.

Is it necessary for the beneficiary to have his mobile number registered for mobile banking to receive funds using *99# service?

Yes and no both! In case the beneficiary want to receive funds using the method of MMID and mobile number then yes, the beneficiary needs to register for mobile banking. In case the beneficiary wants to receive money through Aadhaar number or through the method of account number and IFS code, it is not necessary for the beneficiary to have a mobile banking registration.

Are there any known problems for *99# services?

As of now, there are three known problems:

  • Handset compatibility: Even if a handset is GSM handset, it may not support USSD service. There are a few such handsets. Check out whether the handset you are using supports the USSD service or not.
  • Declined request or transaction error: This may happen because of a technical issue that can arise out from the end of the bank or the TSP that you are using.
  • Incorrect input: In case wrong information is entered by you, a transaction may be declined. So, be careful about the information you are providing. Sometimes, a wrong information may mean that funds are transferred to a different person and not to the intended beneficiary.

That’s everything you need to know about *99# Bank codes and uses. In case you have any question, feel free to drop comments and ask. We will try to answer your questions as soon as possible.

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