Sebi cautions public over impersonation attempt of letterhead, email and fake payment links

Be-aware of fake SEBI officials, regulator cautions public regarding impersonation

The capital market regulator has advised investors to guard against fraudsters and stay vigilant against any communications fabricated to have been sent by Sebi officials, or where a sender is seeking payment on the behalf of Sebi.

The regulator said that it has noted instances of impersonation of identities of Sebi officials, their offices, and email ids by fraudsters, sending communication using unathorised letter head, logo and seal.

Sebi said it has noted instances where fraudsters sent notices through social media seeking payments for compliance services, penalty or fines, in order to prevent regulatory action.

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The regulator also noted that Sebi’s letter head being misused by fraudsters to create the impression of a certified vendor or merchant account. In one instance, the certificate showed Sebi’s letterhead portraying a Sebi-authorized bank account on which signatures of Sebi officials have been impersonated, with the official logo imprinted, to give a false impression of the fraudulent account being genuine.

“Gullible investors are losing their hard-earned money by believing these fraudsters and transferring money to these fraudulent accounts”, Sebi said in a statement.

The regulator has urged public to exercise caution and said that every enforcement action is available on the official website, adding that there is a dedicated portal for payment to Sebi. Contact details of Sebi officials are available on the website, and all communication emails are with @sebi.gov.in domain name.

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People have been urged to verify Sebi’s offices, the details of which are available on the regulator’s website.