Using SEBI's investor resources

In simple terms

SEBI, the stock exchanges and the depositories publish a great deal of free information for investors. Much of it is written in plain language for exactly the questions this path has raised: is this person registered, is this news real, has this firm been in trouble before, and where do I complain?

Many people never look, assuming official sources are too technical. In practice, the checks that defeat most false claims take a few minutes each.

What SEBI publishes

Investor education and awareness. SEBI's investor website explains basic concepts and describes common frauds, such as pump-and-dump schemes, fake trading apps and "stock market guru" scams, with the warning signs to look for.

Registers of intermediaries. SEBI keeps a searchable list for each kind of registered intermediary: stockbrokers, depository participants, investment advisers, research analysts, portfolio managers, mutual funds and others. Each entry shows the registration number, name, contact details and validity.

Orders and enforcement actions. SEBI publishes its orders against people and firms, such as bans from the market, penalties and directions to return money. Searching a name can reveal past or current actions.

Press releases and cautions. SEBI issues public warnings, for example about unregistered entities or new kinds of fraud.

Regulations and circulars. The detailed rules. You rarely need to read them to check a claim, but they are the final word on what is required.

Complaint and help routes. SEBI runs an online complaint system for grievances against regulated entities, and an investor helpline. Find their current details on SEBI's website.

What the exchanges and depositories publish

Company announcements and results. Listed companies must file important news, results and annual reports with the exchanges. The NSE and BSE websites show every filing for every company, with the time it was filed.

Surveillance lists. The exchanges publish lists of shares placed under extra surveillance because of unusual price or volume patterns, a useful warning when a share is being heavily promoted.

Lists of members. The exchanges list their registered stockbrokers, and the depositories list their depository participants.

Investor services. Exchanges and depositories also have investor service and education sections, and handle complaints against their members.

Checking a claim, step by step

Reaching official sites safely

• Type the address yourself, or search for the organisation and check the address before clicking. SEBI's official websites use the sebi.gov.in address; the exchanges' are nseindia.com and bseindia.com.
• Never use a link from the person you are checking, or from an unsolicited message.
• Be wary of lookalike sites and apps whose names or addresses differ by a letter or two.
• Do not trust a search advert at the top of the results for "SEBI complaint" or "customer care". Scroll to the official result.

Who to turn to for what

Why it matters

Fraud and misinformation rely on people not checking. The official sources are free, public and built for investors. Using them turns "I was told" into "I checked", which is the single most effective habit for avoiding losses from false claims.

Limitations

Official sources tell you facts, such as registration, filings and orders. They do not tell you whether an investment is a good one. Registers and filings can lag events slightly, and an absence of SEBI orders against someone does not prove they are honest. Website layouts and tools change over time, so you may need to look around a little to find each resource.

Common mistakes

• Assuming official sites are too complicated. Most checks are a search box and a name.
• Stopping at one check. Combine the register, orders and filings.
• Using links supplied by the person being checked.
• Treating registration as an endorsement of a particular recommendation.

Try it yourself

1. Visit SEBI's investor website by typing the address yourself, and read one page about a type of fraud.
2. Search SEBI's register of investment advisers for any name you have seen advertised.
3. Search SEBI's orders for the name of any company you have heard promoted in a tip group.
4. Find the latest announcement of any listed company on the NSE or BSE website.

Time yourself. Most people finish all four in under twenty minutes.