EPFO PF Withdrawal and Pension Scam by SMS

How it looks by SMS, the red flags and what to do.

SMS scams lean on short, urgent lines and a shortened link. The message looks official because the sender name (header) is shaped to resemble a real organisation. EPFO PF Withdrawal and Pension Scam is one of the ways this shows up: Callers offer to speed up your PF claim or release a stuck pension for a fee, and ask for your UAN login and OTP to take over the account.

What epfo pf withdrawal and pension scam looks like by SMS

• A request to call a number, install an app or share an OTP.
• Several near-identical messages arriving together from different senders.
• A sender name that resembles a bank, courier, tax or utility, or an ordinary mobile number.

The scammer finds people through job portals, social posts about PF issues, or bought lists of employees. They call with a professional manner and use correct sounding words like UAN, claim settlement and KYC seeding. Some pretend to be agents of a department office. They know your employer or last company, which they learned from public profiles, so the call feels informed.

Red flags to check on the text message

• A caller says your PF claim is stuck and offers to fix it.
• They ask for your UAN password or an OTP.
• A processing or release fee is requested.
• They want payment to a personal UPI ID.
• It promises a refund, prize or cashback you never asked for.
• It tells you to install an app from a link instead of the official store.

What to do

1. Hang up and do not share your UAN login or OTP.
2. Check your claim only on the official member portal, typed by hand, or through the official app.
3. If needed, visit the local office or use the official grievance option.
4. Delete the message and tell family members who may get the same text.
5. Do not reply, do not tap the link and do not call the number in the message.
6. Open the official app or type the official website yourself to see if there is any real notice.

You can report suspicious SMS and calls on the Sanchar Saathi portal (Chakshu facility) of the Department of Telecommunications.

If money or a code is already gone

1. Call 1930 right away if you paid by UPI or bank transfer.
2. Check the registered mobile number and bank details on the official member portal and change them if altered.
3. File a complaint on cybercrime.gov.in with call details and payment proof.
4. Tell your bank through the number on your card if you shared any card detail.

National Cyber Crime Helpline: 1930; report at cybercrime.gov.in.

Safeavio Sentinel's scam check can read a message or note you paste from a caller's WhatsApp and flag fake authority, a fee demand and an OTP request. Money Shield asks questions before you send money, such as who is asking and whether you contacted them first. It cannot see your PF account or the status of a claim, so use the official portal for that.

Full guide: EPFO PF Withdrawal and Pension Scam: how it works, signs and what to do. Other channels: phone call, WhatsApp.

Questions