A move aimed at protecting investors and preventing financial fraud, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has announced the exclusive use of the ‘1600’ phone number series for all service and transactional voice calls made by its regulated and registered entities.
This decision, in compliance with the latest guidelines from the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI), seeks to ensure that investors can easily identify legitimate calls from SEBI-registered organizations, thereby minimizing the risk of falling prey to scams involving regular 10-digit numbers. “Investors are encouraged to take note of the new ‘1600’ series so they can trust calls that relate to their investments and avoid deceptive communication from unauthorized sources,” SEBI stated.
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To further empower investors, SEBI has also issued a clear set of instructions for reporting suspicious or unsolicited communications:
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Spam or Unsolicited Commercial Communication (UCC): Investors can file a complaint through their telecom provider’s app or website (e.g., Airtel, Jio, Vi, BSNL), use the TRAI DND app, or call/SMS 1909.
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Suspected Fraud Calls or Messages: Can be reported on the Chakshu Platform of the Department of Telecommunications via https://sancharsaathi.gov.in/sfc/.
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If Fraud Has Already Occurred: Victims should immediately report the incident to the Cyber Crime Helpline at 1930 or visit www.cybercrime.gov.in.
This proactive measure is part of SEBI’s ongoing efforts to safeguard investors in India’s rapidly growing securities market and foster a secure investment environment.
