"Remain vigilant, don't fall prey to Digital fraud": PM Modi in 'Mann Ki Baat' urges people to keep changing bank a/c passwords

PM Modi, in the 131st edition of his monthly radio programme, advised people of the coutnry citizens to be cautious and use the Know Your Customer (KYC) to verify customer details

"In 'Mann Ki Baat', I have spoken to you at length about Digital Arrest. After this, a lot of awareness was generated in our society regarding Digital Arrest and Digital Fraud, but still, such incidents are happening... You all must be familiar with the process of KYC - Know Your Customer," PM Modi said.

PM Modi emphasised the importance of being cautious when receiving messages or calls related to KYC updates. PM Modi also explained how banks periodically perform re-KYC to ensure account security.

"You all must be familiar with the process of KYC - Know Your Customer. Sometimes, when you receive messages from your bank asking you to update KYC or re-KYC, the question arises in your mind - I have already done KYC, then why this? I urge you not to fret; this is just for the safety of your money. We all know that nowadays everything from pension, subsidy, insurance, UPI, everything is linked to the bank account. This is why banks periodically perform re-KYC to ensure your bank account remains secure."

The Prime Minsiter said, "Yes, here too, you must remember one thing: criminals make fake calls, send SMS and links. Therefore, we must remain vigilant and not fall prey to such fraudsters. KYC or re-KYC should be done only through your bank branch, official app, and authorized medium. Do not share OTP, Aadhaar number, or bank account information with anyone. And most importantly, keep changing your password from time to time. Just as food and clothing change with each season, make it a rule to change your password every few days," PM Modi said.

PM Modi highlighted the RBI's Financial Literacy Week and emphasised the importance of financial awareness.

"The Reserve Bank of India recently organised a Financial Literacy Week on these very topics. This financial literacy campaign will now continue throughout the year. Therefore, pay heed to the Reserve Bank of India's message and keep your KYC updated," PM Modi added.

Earlier this month, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that through 361,000 cyber fraud complaints, the government has successfully safeguarded Rs 8,189 crore, which is a significant achievement.

He said that according to estimates, the total amount of fraud was around Rs 20,000 crore, out of which we have frozen or returned Rs 8,189 crore to the victims. He congratulated I4C, CBI and all related organizations for this achievement. Shah said that whenever a cyber fraud complaint is reported, the first natural question asked is what the government is doing about this. He said that by December 2025, the Ministry of Home Affairs had cancelled more than 12 lakh suspicious SIM cards and blocked the IMEI numbers of over 3 lakh mobile devices. He informed that till now, 20,853 accused persons have been arrested in cybercrime cases. (ANI)