Quick Summary
NSE issued a caution notice on September 10, 2026 against an entity called Stock Dost, warning investors it is running illegal dabba trading and promising guaranteed returns. Stock Dost operates through two mobile numbers, a website, a separately hosted app, and four Facebook groups. NSE confirms it holds no exchange registration, and a police complaint has already been filed.
Two phone numbers. One website. A separate app hosted on a completely different domain. Four Facebook groups, all promising the same thing.
That’s not a marketing strategy. That’s a playbook for surviving takedowns.
NSE’s latest caution notice names all of it, and it’s worth understanding exactly how this kind of operation works before you’re the one sending money to it.
What NSE’s Caution Notice Says About Stock Dost?
NSE’s press release names an entity called Stock Dost, reachable through two mobile numbers.
It also lists a website, an app download link, and four separate Facebook groups tied to the same operation.
Across all of these, Stock Dost is accused of offering securities market tips, assured or guaranteed returns, and dabba trading, which is trading conducted entirely outside the stock exchange system.
NSE has confirmed the individuals behind Stock Dost are not registered as a member or Authorised Person of any exchange member, and a police complaint has already been lodged.
The Four Facebook Groups Running “Online Dabba Trading”
What makes this notice stand out is the sheer spread of the operation.
Stock Dost isn’t running on just one channel. NSE’s notice lists four separate Facebook groups, three of them variations on “Online Dabba Trading,” including one specifically branded for Mumbai.
This is a common survival tactic among illegal trading operators. If one group or number gets reported and taken down, three others keep the operation running without missing a beat.
For investors, that spread is exactly what makes an operation like this hard to trust. A genuine SEBI-registered broker never needs four different Facebook groups to reach clients.
Why the App Link Doesn’t Even Match the Website?
There’s a smaller detail in the notice worth flagging on its own.
Stock Dost’s website runs on one domain, but the app download link NSE flagged is hosted on an entirely different domain, gargtraders.life.
A mismatch between a platform’s main website and its app download link is a pattern worth remembering well beyond this one case. Legitimate brokers host their app on their own domain or through official app stores, not on a lookalike third-party address.
Is Stock Dost SEBI or NSE Registered?
No. NSE has explicitly confirmed that the individuals operating Stock Dost are not registered as a member or Authorised Person of any NSE-registered stock broker.
NSE also runs a “Know/Locate your Stock Broker” facility on its website, which lets any investor check a broker’s registration status before trusting them with money.
Before you trust any platform claiming similar credentials, it’s worth learning how to check if the firm is SEBI registered using the regulator’s own records.
The Legal Risk Stock Dost’s Operators Are Taking
NSE’s notice spells out exactly what the law says about operations like this one.
Under Section 23(1) of the Securities Contracts (Regulation) Act, 1956, anyone running an unauthorised trading operation like this can face up to 10 years’ imprisonment or a fine of up to ₹25 crore, or both.
These offences also count as cognizable under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, meaning state police can investigate directly without waiting for a separate regulatory referral.
On top of that, dabba trading specifically falls under Sections 316, 318, and 61 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, India’s newer criminal code.
If you want the fuller picture of why this practice keeps drawing such harsh penalties, our explainer on dabba trading breaks down exactly how these operations work and why the law treats them so seriously.
What This Means If You Already Paid Stock Dost?
If you’ve already sent money to Stock Dost through any of its numbers, groups, or the app, there is no exchange-backed safety net waiting for you.
NSE’s notice is explicit that participants in illegal platforms like this get no access to the Exchange Dispute Resolution Mechanism and no Investor Grievance Redressal Mechanism.
That doesn’t mean you have no options at all, just that they lie outside the exchange system.
Your best route at this point is to file a cyber crime complaint with every screenshot, chat log, and payment record you have.
Acting quickly matters here, since the trail of numbers and Facebook groups behind operations like this tends to go cold fast.
Conclusion
Stock Dost is exactly the kind of operator NSE keeps warning investors about, spread across two phone numbers, four Facebook groups, and an app hosted on a completely different domain than its own website.
None of that redundancy makes it legitimate. It just makes it harder to shut down.
No registration, no exchange protection, and no dispute mechanism apply once you’ve sent money to a platform like this.
If you’re weighing a “guaranteed return” offer right now, treat the promise itself as the biggest red flag, not proof of anything.
Report. Recover. Stay Fraud Free.
No. NSE has confirmed Stock Dost's operators are not registered as a member or Authorised Person of any exchange member. It was offering securities market tips, assured or guaranteed returns, and dabba trading services outside the exchange system. There is no exchange dispute mechanism available for illegal platforms, but you can still pursue recovery through a cyber crime complaint and police action. Yes. NSE's notice confirms a police complaint has already been lodged regarding this entity. Under the SCRA, operators can face up to 10 years imprisonment or a fine up to ₹25 crore, or both, along with charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Use NSE's "Know/Locate your Stock Broker" facility or check the broker's registration number directly on SEBI's website before investing anything.Frequently Asked Questions
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