The Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation has launched a WhatsApp service that allows members to check their provident fund balance, view their five most recent transactions and download their EPF passbook without logging into the EPFO website.
Union Labour and Employment Minister Mansukh Mandaviya launched the facility on November 1 during EPFO’s 74th Foundation Day celebrations. The service is designed to bring frequently used provident fund services to a platform that members already use regularly, reducing the need to navigate multiple screens on the organisation’s website.
Members can access the facility by saving EPFO’s official WhatsApp number, 8796441800, in their phone contacts. They must then open WhatsApp, send a simple “Hi” message and select their preferred language. After choosing the required service, members need to complete verification using the mobile number registered with their Universal Account Number, or UAN.
Once the verification process is completed, users can check their accumulated PF balance, view details of their five latest transactions and access or download their EPF passbook through the chat. The service also provides PF-related information and assistance connected with requirements under the Pradhan Mantri Viksit Bharat Rozgar Yojana.
The WhatsApp facility is an additional access channel and does not replace the EPFO member portal or other existing platforms. Members can continue using the EPFO website and the UMANG app to access their PF details and related services.
Account security remains important because the service involves personal financial and employment-linked information. Members should use only the official number published by EPFO and should not share their UAN password, banking credentials or one-time passwords with anyone through WhatsApp.
A BankBazaar spokesperson cited by NDTV said the service could make provident fund information more accessible by allowing members to check balances and transactions without recalling a forgotten UAN password. The spokesperson also advised members to use only EPFO’s official WhatsApp number and never share OTPs or passwords over chat.
The launch has also been accompanied by access problems for some users. Several members reported delayed responses and error messages, including a “Something went wrong” message when selecting services. EPFO had not issued an official response to these reported glitches at the time of the report. Until the problems are resolved, members can use the EPFO member portal or the UMANG app for their PF information.
