EPFO Warning: Use online services yourself, not from agents! Otherwise, there can be a big loss.
EPFO Warning: EPFO has warned its members not to take help from any agent or third party for online PF services. In such cases, the risk of data leak and fraud increases. EPFO said that most of the services are available for free through the official website or the Umang app. There are also authorized platforms for filing complaints. The organization has advised all employees and pensioners to use only government forums.
EPFO Warning: The Employees' Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) on Monday clearly warned its members not to take help from any third party i.e. agent or external company for services related to the EPF account. EPFO has said that all the necessary services are available for free through online mediums and using them yourself is not only easy but also safe.
What is the reason behind the increasing danger?
EPFO has taken this step after cases where it was seen that many cyber cafes, agents, or fintech companies were charging money from customers in the name of PF services. Most of these only use the official platform or complaint portal of EPFO, which can also be accessed by the general members themselves for free. This not only causes financial loss but also increases the risk of leaking of personal information like Aadhaar, bank details and PF account number.
How are EPFO's online services?
According to the Ministry of Labor, EPFO has constantly improved its online services to make them faster, transparent and user-friendly. Currently, almost all the services of EPFO are available on the Umang app or EPFO website. These include viewing claim status, downloading passbook, updating KYC, filing complaints etc.
How effective is the complaint resolution system?
EPFO has two strong grievance redressal mechanisms. This includes EPFiGMS (EPF i-Grievance Management System) and CPGRAMS (Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System) etc. In the financial year 2024-25, more than 16 lakh complaints were registered on EPFiGMS and 1.74 lakh on CPGRAMS, of which 98% were resolved in a timely manner.
Clear message from EPFO
EPFO has appealed to all members, pensioners and employers to avail any service related to their PF accounts only through official means (such as EPFO portal and Umang app). Contacting any unauthorized agent or institution not only poses a risk to data security, but there is also a possibility of fraud.
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