Help! My PF Settlement Was Sent to the Wrong Bank Account—What Should I Do Next?

PF Withdrawal Issue: Incorrect Bank Account Details

I am seriously confused now. Three months ago, I applied for my PF withdrawal. Yesterday, I received a system-generated message from EPFO stating that the settlement has been processed and sent to my bank account. However, the issue at hand is that the bank account mentioned in the SMS is incorrect, with one digit missing in between. I have been trying to reach the PF office constantly, but no one is answering the phone. Complicating matters further, I reside in Mumbai while the PF office is located in Chennai, making it impossible for me to visit the office in person to inquire about this discrepancy.

Could someone advise me on what steps I should take next?

Thank you.

Sub- P.F Settlement

I endorse Vicky Sagar's view. You have no other choice but to follow up on the matter with the concerned P.F Commissioner in Chennai immediately, as a lapse of time may complicate the issue. The P.F authorities will definitely attend to the matter since they are obligated under Para 72(7) of the P.F Scheme to settle an employee's claim within 30 days of its receipt by the P.F Commissioner.

Regards,
B. Saikumar
HR & Labour Law Consultant
Chipinbiz Consultancy Pvt. Ltd.
Mumbai.

Dear All,

First of all, thank you for replying. Today, I tried to contact the PF office in Chennai again, and fortunately, I got through. They informed me that the money has been returned to them as the bank account provided does not exist. Consequently, they have requested me to write a letter addressing this issue. When I inquired about the specifics of the letter they require, they transferred my call to a number that did not respond. Currently, they are not answering my calls. Can you advise me on the content of the letter I should send to them? Should I include the correct bank account number in it?

Thanks & Regards,
Girish

Dear Girish, kindly submit the below format letter from your previous employer along with the following documents:
1. Revised Form No 19 & 10C
2. Cancelled Cheque
3. Letter from Previous Employer
4. Simple letter from your side clarifying the wrong bank account number and requesting the reissue of a new cheque.

Regards,
Sachin Gowalkar.

Date
The Regional Provident Fund Commissioner
Bhavishya Nidhi Bhavan,
MH/

Sub: Settlement of Provident Fund Claim in respect of Mr.

Dear Sir,
We had submitted Mr. … Provident Fund claim on … The bank account number submitted by me was wrong and was not cleared to my bank account. Hence, we are resubmitting herewith revised Form No 19 & 10C with the correct bank account number. The details are as under:
- S. B. Account No
- Name of Bank:
- Bank Address:
- Pin Code No
- IFSC Code No

Request you to settle his Provident Fund Claim amount by crediting it to his respective bank account at the earliest. Thanking you,

Kindly visit the website of EPFO where you can learn about your online PF status. Once you visit it, if there is no update, wait for 10-15 days. The same thing happened to me before; after 15 days from the SMS date, I received the balance amount in my account.

I have provided the correct bank account number in my application. The mistake was made by the PF office staff. Do I still need to reapply?

Thanks & Regards,
Girish

If you are doing so as per Sachin's message, your PF refund will be processed. You do not need to reapply. Please contact your previous employer and inquire how they can assist in this matter. The PF office should send a letter to you or to your previous employer regarding this. Replying to the letter will suffice, but the process may take some time. It is better to be proactive and address the issue directly with the PF office and your previous employer.

If not, you will need to approach the PF Commissioner at the Chennai office directly to bring this mistake to their attention.

Please correct me if I am wrong.

Thank you,

Praveen

You can try this also. There is a grievance mechanism in the PF Office, Chennai (PF Adalat). You can send a detailed letter to them with copies of all documents seeking their intervention. I think this will work. You can find out the PF Adalat's contact address, etc., on their Chennai website and seek exemption from personal appearance before the Adalat due to your inability to be in Mumbai, unable to take leave, and bear the cost as well. Apart from this, you have to send a copy of this letter by Regd. Post Ack. Due to the concerned with a copy to the Regional P.F. Commissioner, Chennai. Also, simultaneously through e-mail. Keep records of all these.

Incidentally, are you not preferring to transfer your PF balance to the present office/RFO, Mumbai? Why do you want to settle now? I think you are still young, and it will help you in the long run. Moreover, if you are currently employed, you are not eligible to apply for settlement either. Did you attach a declaration of Unemployment, isn't it? Please examine all the aspects BEFORE PROCEEDING FURTHER, YOU SHOULDN'T LAND INTO COMPLICATIONS.

All the best.

Regards,
Kumar S.

Thank you for your valuable suggestions. I contacted my previous company, and they asked me to write a letter regarding this issue and send it to them. After that, they will proceed further. I think I should give this a try. If the problem is still not solved, I will explore other options.

Thanks & Regards,
Girish