The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has cautioned its members against approaching unauthorised agents for EPFO-related services, warning that doing so could expose their personal and financial information to third-party entities.
“These external entities are not authorized by EPFO and may charge unnecessary fees or compromise the security of personal information of members,” the organisation said in a statement, adding that all EPFO services are free and accessible online.
The advisory follows reports that several cybercafés and fintech firms have been charging members substantial amounts for services that are officially provided at no cost. “In many cases, these operators are simply using the EPFO’s online grievance portal, something any member can do on their own, free of cost, from the comfort of their homes,” EPFO said.
Reiterating its commitment to transparency and ease of access, EPFO highlighted a series of reforms implemented over the past year to improve service delivery for members, employers, and pensioners.
These reforms include the auto-settlement of advance claims of up to ₹1 lakh for purposes such as illness, housing, marriage, and education. This move has resulted in the automatic settlement of 2.34 crore claims during FY 2024–25.
Other key upgrades include simplified processes for KYC updates, member detail corrections, and transfer claims, most of which no longer require employer approval from January 15, 2025. The organization has also rolled out the Centralised Pension Payment System (CPPS) to improve the timeliness of pension disbursals.
Members can now correct profile details using Aadhaar-based authentication without employer intervention and delink incorrect member IDs from their UANs online.
Additionally, UAN allotment and activation can now be done via the UMANG app using Face Authentication Technology, granting users instant access to services like passbook viewing, KYC updates, and claim submissions.
To further streamline online claim filing, EPFO has scrapped the requirement to upload cheque leaf images or attested bank passbooks. From April 2025, members will also be able to seed their bank account details with UANs without needing employer verification.
EPFO also pointed to its strengthened grievance redressal systems. During FY 2024–25, over 16 lakh complaints were addressed through the EPFiGMS portal and more than 1.74 lakh through CPGRAMS, with a resolution rate of 98%.
The organisation urged all members to access services through its official portal or the UMANG app, and to avoid intermediaries.
“The members can contact EPFO helpdesks/PROs at Regional offices as listed on the official website (www.epfindia.gov.in) for any issues,” it added.
