SEBI vs Scam: Unified Campaign Unites Market Bodies to Fight Financial Fraud

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), in partnership with all major markets' Infrastructure Institutions (MIIs) and the mutual fund industry body AMFI, have rolled out a unified investor‑education initiative called “SEBI vs Scam”. This media campaign aims to strengthen investor protection and step up efforts to combat widespread fraud in India’s securities market.

Under this initiative, SEBI has joined forces with the National Stock Exchange (NSE), Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), depositories CDSL and NSDL, commodity exchanges MCX, MSEI, NCDEX, and AMFI. Together, they will use coordinated outreach to inform retail investors about common scam tactics and safe investment practices.

The campaign will highlight risky and evolving threats, such as:

• Fake trading applications,
• Unregistered or fraudulent investment advice pushed via social media or by “finfluencers”
• Deepfakes and impersonation of brokers or intermediaries
• Paid trading courses promising guaranteed returns
• Unethical “dabba” and “opinion” trading schemes 

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Investors will be educated to recognise key warning signs, verify the credentials of promoters or platforms, and choose proper grievance and redress channels. The campaign emphasises following good digital hygiene, verifying sources, and avoiding pressure to act quickly. It will also guide individuals on how to report suspected scams through SEBI’s systems.

SEBI has urged investors to follow official updates on X (formerly Twitter)—via its handle @SEBI_India, along with accounts of MIIs and AMFI—using the hashtag #SEBlvsSCAM for social media engagement and news.

This campaign arrives amid an increase in fraud conducted via unregistered advisors or influencers, who lure investors with false market tips and fake credentials. SEBI has issued warning letters to numerous such entities, indicating potential enforcement under the SEBI Act if they continue.

Additionally, SEBI has already introduced a Centralised Fee Collection Mechanism (CeFCoM) for registered investment advisers and research analysts. Operational since October 2024, CeFCoM ensures greater transparency and safer fee payments by routing transactions exclusively to registered professionals. The system has handled over ₹5 crore in advisory payments by mid‑2025.

SEBI will also roll out a verified UPI system by October 1, 2025. This initiative will require only validated and authorised UPI IDs (marked with a suffix like “@valid”) to receive investor payment. It covers nearly 9,000 registered intermediaries; existing unverified handles must comply by December 11, 2026. The mechanism includes collaboration with app stores to permit only verified financial apps on platforms like Google Play.

Structure and delivery of this campaign will include multilingual content, digital outreach, public seminars, and collaborations with brokers, banks and fintechs, ensuring broad coverage across India.

Conclusion

Through “SEBI vs Scam”, SEBI, AMFI and MIIs are launching a concerted effort to educate, alert and empower Indian retail investors. By highlighting common frauds, promoting verification processes, and enforcing digital safeguards like CeFCoM and verified UPI IDs, the campaign aims to reduce financial abuse and strengthen market trust.