Vigilance Awareness Week 2026 runs from October 26 to November 1, with the Central Vigilance Commission’s theme "सत्यनिष्ठा से समृद्धि" (Probity for Prosperity).

Financial frauds are happening all around us. Here is a real life example of a potential fraud.  

Sunita Yadav, a homemaker in Lucknow, began her first SIP last year. She got a call from a person posing to be an AMC representative and said her KYC had expired and her units would be frozen unless she shared an OTP “right now.” 

Sunita felt rushed, but she remembered that an AMC never asks for an OTP over the phone. She hung up, logged in to the official app and found her account normal. She then reported the number at cybercrime.gov.in. 

She did three things right: she asked, she paused, she verified. 

Myths and Facts 

Questions to Ask Your Advisor 

• Are you registered with SEBI? What is your registration number? 

• Is this scheme available on the AMC’s official website? 

• Can I take a few days to decide? 

If the answers are evasive, step back. 

Your Safety Checklist 

• Pay only to the AMC or scheme, never to an individual’s account. 

• Never share OTPs, PINs or passwords, even with someone claiming to represent your AMC. 

• Keep your mobile number and email updated with the AMC so transaction alerts reach you. 

• Check your Consolidated Account Statement (CAS) every month for unfamiliar entries. 

• Be careful with investment groups on WhatsApp or Telegram, including “women-only” groups promising high returns. 

• Send documents only through official channels when completing KYC. 

Own Your Investments 

More women are now managing their own SIPs, often for the first time. As a responsible investor, keep folios in your own name, know your own login details, and add nominees so your family is protected. Discussing decisions with someone you trust is wise, but your credentials should stay with you. Always ask questions until you understand; a genuine advisor will never mind. 

If something goes wrong 

1. Inform your AMC or intermediary immediately. 

2. For online financial fraud, report at cybercrime.gov.in.

3. File a complaint on SEBI’s SCORES portal. 

Report early, since delay reduces the chances of recovery. 

Informed investors are the best defence against fraud. This week, take the CVC pledge at https://pledge.mygov.in/cvc/ and affirm your commitment to integrity. 

SEBI Registration No.  MF/020/94/8

An Investor education and Awareness initiative of Aditya Birla Sun Life Mutual Fund.

All investors have to go through a one-time KYC (Know Your Customer) process. Investors to invest only with SEBI registered Mutual Funds. For further information on KYC, list of SEBI registered Mutual Fund, and redressal of complaints including details about SEBI SCORES portal, visit link: https://mutualfund.adityabirlacapital.com/investor-education/education/kycand- redressal for further details. Investors may lodge their complaints with SEBI through the SCORES portal (SEBI Complaints Redressal System) at https://scores.sebi.gov.in/.

Mutual Fund investments are subject to market risks, read all scheme related documents carefully.

म्यूचुअल फंड निवेश बाजार जोखिमों के अधीन हैं, योजना से संबंधि त सभी दस्ता वेजों को ध्यान से पढ़ें।