EPFO Pension: In today’s world of social media and the internet, misleading and false news can spread quickly, causing significant confusion among the general public, particularly pensioners. Recently, an incident involving the Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) has come to light.
Over the past few days, a letter claiming a substantial increase in the minimum pension under the EPS-95 scheme has been circulating widely on social media. This letter has generated both excitement and confusion among pensioners. However, the EPFO has stepped in to clarify the situation and has issued an important alert. They have confirmed that the letter regarding the increase in the minimum EPS pension is entirely fake and fabricated.
This big claim was made in the viral letter
The letter making the rounds on social media seems to be an authentic government document. It features the name of the Ministry of Labor and Employment, Government of India, along with its address: Shram Shakti Bhawan, Rafi Marg, New Delhi. The subject line reads, “Notification Regarding Increase in Minimum Pension under the EPS-95 Scheme.” The fraudulent letter falsely asserts that the minimum pension amount has been raised following Central Government approval for pensioners already benefiting from the EPS-95 Scheme, 1995.
It claims that the new minimum monthly pension will be Rs 7,500, effective from April 30, 2026. Additionally, the letter states that the distribution of this revised pension amount will commence for all eligible pensioners starting May 1, 2026.
Fake seal and fake signature game
The scammers have employed various strategies to make this counterfeit letter look authentic. A circular seal from the Ministry of Labor and Employment, Government of India, marked with “New Delhi,” has been placed in the bottom left corner of the letter.
Counterfeit seal and forged signature scheme
The scammers have employed various strategies to make this fraudulent letter seem authentic. A circular seal from the Ministry of Labor and Employment, Government of India, featuring “New Delhi” at the bottom left corner of the letter, has been attached. Additionally, a forged signature appears on the right side, with the title “Under Secretary, Government of India, Ministry of Labor and Employment” written beneath it. A prominent box labeled “Approved” is positioned at the bottom of the letter to enhance its credibility. The letter also directs all relevant departments and pension transfer agencies to ensure the swift and timely execution of the tasks. The entire layout is crafted to give the impression of authenticity to any unsuspecting individual.
EPFO issued a formal warning
As this fraudulent letter gained traction and inquiries surged, the EPFO took swift measures. They published an image of the letter on their official channels, prominently marking it with “Fake” and “Fake” in bold red letters. The EPFO has explicitly notified all stakeholders and pensioners nationwide that no such order or notification has been released by the government. This is a wholly deceptive attempt, lacking any basis in reality. The Ministry of Labor and the EPFO have firmly denied the issuance of such a letter.
In exposing this scam, the EPFO has urged all pensioners to disregard any unauthorized and misleading correspondence. Such false information is spread solely to confuse individuals and disrupt the market. The EPFO has emphasized that for any official updates or changes regarding pensions, only the information available on the EPFO’s official website or its verified social media accounts should be deemed reliable. Steer clear of being misled by this counterfeit letter.
