It is observed that there has been a spate of fictitious offers of cheap funds in recent times from the fraudsters through letters, e-mails, mobile phones, SMS, etc. Communications on fake letterheads of the Reserve Bank and purportedly signed by its top executives / senior officials are also being sent to targetted people. Many residents have been victims of such teasing offers and lost huge money in the process. The Reserve Bank has already alerted the public on several occasions about such fictitious schemes/ offers, through the print and the electronic media and more such public education campaigns are being planned.

It has been observed that fraudsters are seeking money from the gullible people, under different heads, such as, processing fees/ transaction fees/tax clearance charges/conversion charges, clearing fees, etc. The victims of the fraud have also been persuaded to deposit the amount in accounts with banks in India, and such amounts have been withdrawn immediately. It is also observed that multiple accounts are being opened in the name of individuals or proprietary concerns, at different bank branches for collecting the transaction charges, etc. It is clarified that any person resident in India collecting and effecting / remitting such payments directly /indirectly outside India would make himself/ herself liable to be proceeded against with, for contravention of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 besides being liable for violation of regulations relating to Know Your Customer (KYC) norms / Anti Money Laundering (AML) standards.

For the press release from RBI on this matter please click here