SEBI mandates advertiser verification on social media to curb investment frauds

Market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) on Friday directed all Sebi registered intermediaries uploading or publishing advertisements on social media platforms (SMPs) like Google and Meta, to register on these platforms using their email ids and mobile numbers as registered on SEBI SI Portal.

These social media platform providers will then carry out advertiser verification of Sebi registered intermediaries after which the intermediaries will be permitted to upload or publish advertisements on these platforms.

All Sebi registered intermediaries who want to upload/publish advertisements on these platforms will have to update their contact details in the intermediary database on the SEBI SI Portal by April 30, 2025, a media release published by the regulator said.

The market regulator in an advisory to investors said that it has noticed a rapid increase in frauds related to securities market on various social media platforms (SMPs) where the perpetrators of these frauds are enticing victims in the name of providing online trading courses, seminars, giving misleading or deceptive testimonials, promise or guarantee of assured or risk free return etc.

The SMPs in question are YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, X (previously Twitter), Telegram, Google Play Store, Apple Store etc.

Sebi has been taking measures to inform investors of the growing menace in the digital space. Recently it cautioned investors against electronic platforms and websites which are facilitating transactions in unlisted securities of public limited companies. It recommended investors to not engage with them.

Sebi had said that any engagement with the unregulated entities is a violation of Sebi rules.

"Investors are advised not to conduct any transactions on such electronic platforms or share any sensitive personal details on the same as these platforms are neither authorized nor recognized by SEBI," a Sebi release issued in December said.

Meanwhile, exchanges NSE and BSE have also been issuing warnings to investors to be wary of the fraudulent elements.

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