Cybercriminals posing as SEBI officials; Rajasthan police alert public

The Rajasthan Police have issued a public warning about a rising cybercrime trend involving fraudsters impersonating officials from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to dupe investors.

According to the Cyber Crime Branch, scammers are circulating fake SEBI letterheads, forged recovery certificates, and counterfeit seals to make their schemes appear legitimate. These fraudulent documents are designed to closely resemble official SEBI communications, making it difficult for victims to detect the scam at first glance.

Superintendent of Police (Cyber Crime) Shantanu Kumar explained that the primary motive behind these forgeries is to extort money from unsuspecting investors by pretending to be SEBI representatives.

To help the public avoid falling prey to such fraud, SEBI advises verifying all communications through its official website. People should also confirm the validity of recovery certificates, check the authenticity of SEBI officials, and ensure emails come from SEBI’s official domain. Additionally, users can use the Unique Document Identification Number (UDIN) system to authenticate documents.

The Rajasthan Police have urged citizens to stay vigilant and take prompt action if they come across suspicious SEBI-related communications. Victims or potential victims are advised to call the Cybercrime Helpline at 1930, file a complaint online, or report to the nearest police or cyber police station.

Authorities stress that awareness and verification are crucial in safeguarding oneself against cyber fraud. Investors are strongly encouraged not to act on any SEBI-related document without proper authentication.