If your broker has wronged you – unauthorised trades, withheld funds, excess charges, or unresolved grievances – you can file a formal complaint with SEBI.
There’s a proper route, and following it correctly significantly improves your chances of resolution.
This guide covers exactly how to file a SEBI complaint against your broker through the SCORES portal, the correct letter format, and what happens after you submit.
Where to Complain Against a Broker in SEBI?
SEBI’s official channel for investor grievances against brokers is the SCORES portal – Securities and Exchange Board of India’s Complaint Redressal System.
This is the only recognised route for filing a formal regulatory complaint. SCORES requires you to first raise the grievance directly with your broker’s grievance officer before SEBI will accept your case.
So, if you are looking forward to reporting a complaint against your broker after getting no response or an unsatisfactory response from your broker, then register to SEBI complaint portal-SCORES.
The SCORES portal is accessible online and also through a dedicated mobile app, so you can register and track your complaint from your phone. You’ll need your PAN, registered mobile number, and email to create an account before filing.
How to Complain in SEBI Against a Broker?
You must file your complaint within one year of the cause of grievance.
If you paid losses due to mis-selling, or joined “VIP tips” groups via a broker link, you still have options.
- Register on SCORES using your PAN, mobile number, and email.
- Select the broker as the entity you’re complaining against.
- Explain the complaint in plain, factual language. Avoid emotional language, stick to dates and facts.
- Attach proof like emails, account statements, contract notes, and screenshots.
- Submit and track the status online or via the SCORES mobile app.
In case, you find the process complex, then register with us. We will provide end-to-end assistance.
- We help you organise evidence such as ledgers, contract notes, payment proofs, call logs, chats, and emails so that your complaint is strong from day one.
- We draft complaints in the correct format for filing an NSE complaint against broker via their NICE Plus portal, as well as submissions for BSE, SEBI SCORES, and SMART ODR, ensuring nothing essential is missed.
- We also provide filing and escalation support, guiding you step by step and helping you move your case forward if the first level doesn’t resolve it.
- And if your matter reaches conciliation or arbitration in stock market, we assist you in preparing documents and responses so you’re confident and ready.
Our role is simple. We handle the process so that you can focus on recovery.
SEBI Complaint Against Broker Phone Number
If you’d prefer to reach SEBI directly before or alongside filing on SCORES, SEBI maintains an investor helpline.
You can contact SEBI’s toll-free investor helpline at 1800-266-7575 / 1800-22-7575, available on working days. For written correspondence, SEBI’s investor grievance email is listed on the official SCORES portal under the “Contact Us” section.
If you are looking for and Email ID to SEBI complaint against a broker, then it is important to know that there is no official email id for this. You can register on SCORES and keep official track record of your complaint.
However, for general queries, you can send an email to SEBI at [email protected]
Complaint Letter to SEBI Against Broker
Sometimes you need a written complaint. Maybe for the broker first. Or for documenting your story cleanly.
Here’s a simple, usable format. Keep it short, factual, and proof-based.
| Subject: Complaint against <Broker Name> for <Issue> To, The Grievance Redressal Officer <Broker Name> Client details: Name: Client Code: PAN: Registered mobile/email: What happened: On <date>, I faced <issue>. This impacted <trades/funds/access>. I contacted support on <date> via <email/ticket>. What I want: I request <refund/rectification/reversal/closure>. Please resolve within the prescribed timeline. Evidence attached: Account statement/ledger Emails and ticket IDs Screenshots Bank proof, if money is involved Declaration: All information shared is accurate to the best of my knowledge. Signature Name Date |
This format works because it’s structured. And it doesn’t sound emotional. That matters in financial complaints.
Here are the guidelines to file a complaint in SEBI SCORES:
- One line on the issue.
- One line on impact.
- One line on what you want.
- Then attach proof.
Example:
“Unauthorized trades were placed on <date>.”
“This caused loss of ₹X and margin block.”
“I request a reversal and an investigation report.”
That’s it. No long storytelling needed.
SEBI Complaint Against Broker Form
There is no physical form to file a complaint against a broker to SEBI. You can register on the portal with the following details handy:
- Your PAN, mobile number, and email
- The broker’s name and registration details
- A clear, factual description of the issue
- Date(s) the issue occurred
- Supporting documents — contract notes, ledger statements, screenshots, email/chat communication
Having these ready in advance makes the form much faster to complete and reduces the chance of your complaint being sent back for missing information.
What Happens After You Submit Complaint Against Broker on SCORES?
Once submitted, SEBI forwards your complaint to the broker, who is required to respond within a prescribed timeframe.
Your complaint status will show as “pending” until the broker responds, and then either “disposed” (resolved) or remains open for further action if the response is unsatisfactory.
You can track the real-time status anytime by logging into the SCORES portal with your complaint registration number. If your complaint stays unresolved beyond the timeline, you have the right to escalate further.
Conclusion
Filing a SEBI complaint against broker is doable.
But the order matters. Start with the broker’s grievance route first. Then file on SCORES within the time limit.
You can check your SEBI complaint status along with timelines, and if the money dispute is still unresolved, escalate the matter through SMART ODR.
The best part?
Once your proof is clean, the process becomes much easier.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can I call SEBI directly to report broker issue?
SEBI provides investor helpline 1800-266-7575 / 1800-22-7575, available on working days. However, formal complaints must still be filed through the SCORES portal for SEBI to officially process and forward them to your broker.
2. Is there an SEBI complaint email ID I can write to directly?
SEBI’s investor grievance email is listed on the official SCORES portal. Emailing directly can supplement your case, but it does not replace filing through SCORES, which is the official record.
3. How long does SEBI take to resolve a SCORES complaint?
There’s no fixed universal timeline. Brokers must respond within SEBI’s prescribed period after a complaint is forwarded. Simple cases often resolve faster; financial disputes can take longer, especially if escalated.
4. What happens if my broker doesn’t respond to SCORES?
You can escalate through SMART ODR for online dispute resolution, and ultimately to stock exchange arbitration if a financial loss is involved.
5. Can I file a SEBI complaint without first contacting my broker?
No. SCORES requires you to first raise the grievance directly with the broker’s grievance officer before SEBI will accept your case.
