New Delhi, Sept 6 (KNN)  To alert people about fraudulent e-mails and phishing schemes, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has been running awareness campaigns called 'Jago Grahak Jago.'

Their messages have been scrolling on their website www.rbi.org. in and they are even informing people through FM radio channels and newspaper advertisements.

Examples of fraudulent emails include - ‘Congrats! RBI is holding funds for you.’  Earlier infamous as Nigerian scams, they came complete with the RBI governor's signature or the stamp of the income tax department.

Another email to phish your banking details reads, "On behalf of the India Government or the Reserve Bank of India, we wish to notify you as a beneficiary of…….certain amount."
Further, in order to make the email look authentic, it even bears the signature and photograph of the RBI governor and ends with the message "In us you can trust."

Some such mails circulate with the subject, “You have won lottery or will get huge sums of money; You have been offered cheap funds for your business; or RBI holds some funds for you,” said RBI in its ad campaign, Jago Grahak Jago.

“Do not believe these. They are fake, howsoever official or attractive they may look, RBI never sends such emails,” RBI has warned.

The emails demands a small amount for release of huge money but the catch is too simple that RBI never contacts the public via phone calls or e-mails asking for money or any other type of personal information.

The sender of the e-mail demands what seems to be a small amount of Rs XY thousand to release a massive sum of Rs XYZ crore to the recipient's bank account.

The sender also asks for the details of PAN card, bank account, payment receipt and passport size photos.

The RBI campaign, strictly alerts the public about: not to send money as initial deposit/commission/transfer fee to any unknown party in India or abroad; not to reveal your bank account number/details or any other related information to anyone on phone or through email; not to enter into any correspondence with any party – Indian or Foreign – in the hope of receiving any money from them; RBI does not hold funds or accounts for any individual/organization/trust.
 
The country’s central bank even urges the public to alert family and friends and inform the Cyber Cell/ other law enforcing agency to such fictitious offers.
There is one basic rule to life, which if remembered can stop such frauds—No one gives money for free to anyone. (KNN/SD)