Mumbai, March 25, 2025 – The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) cracked down on Tuesday, mandating that intermediaries use only registered contact details for social media ads, effective immediately, per Gadgets 360. Targeting platforms like X, Instagram, and WhatsApp, the rule aims to curb scams peddling fake investment tips—losses topped Rs 1,200 crore in 2024 (RBI Annual Report).
Firms must now link phone numbers and emails to SEBI’s registry, a bid to trace fraudulent ads that spiked during India’s bull market run—Sensex crossed 78,000 this week (Times of India). The digital ad space, valued at Rs 50,000 crore (IAMAI, 2024), thrives on social reach, but unregistered players exploit lax oversight. Fintechs hail the move for investor safety, yet small brokers fret over compliance costs.
X posts show mixed vibes—@FinGuru calls it “long overdue,” while @TraderX worries it’s “overregulation strangling startups.” SEBI’s past efforts—banning Telegram stock tips in 2023—cut some fraud, but enforcement lags (The Hindu). The real challenge? Scammers adapt fast—will this plug the gap, or just shift the game to darker corners of the web?
