Sebi Cautions Against False Communication On Its Behalf

New Delhi: Markets regulator Sebi on Wednesday cautioned investors against communication purported to have been issued by its official and asked them to be vigilant while dealing with any communication demanding information and money on its behalf. The cautionary statement comes after Sebi noted that certain individuals received communication wherein the sender falsely claimed to be an official of Sebi using letterhead, logo and seal of the regulator. In certain instances, the sender issued notices through Social Media Platforms asking for payment of a fine to prevent the regulator from taking action against the recipient, sender forged sale Certificate to show that he was a buyer of PACL property, sender issued a fake certificate of use of third-party vendor account, Sebi noted.

Accordingly, the regulator has cautioned the public or investors "to verify communication purported to have been issued by Sebi...from the Sebi website". Also, they have been asked to be vigilant while dealing with communication/senders demanding information or payment on behalf of Sebi. The regulator has asked investors to verify the authenticity of any communication that they might deem to have received from it. Further, all the communication from Sebi can be verified from its website (www.sebi.gov.in).

Sebi said that every order passed by it bears a unique reference number, all the official communications used by it, such as letters, notices, show-cause notices, and summons issued by it have a unique document identification number. All the orders, official communications and recovery certificates issued by Sebi are available on its website, it added. Besides, the Sebi document verification system has been put in place to facilitate recipients to check the veracity of documents which appear to have been from it.