Mumbai, March 08, 2021: The past few years have witnessed a tremendous digital transformation in the country. Today, every financial activity can be facilitated with a click and tap on your device. However, the flipside to this is the proliferation in cybercrime, which has spiked during the pandemic. The NCRB’s Crime in India report 2019 states that fraud made up over half the cybercrime cases in the country. Most of these frauds are financial by nature. Closer home, the Insurance sector is not an exception to these fraudulent tactics. Customers are often defrauded by deceivers posing as officials from the regulator’s office or insurance companies and are duped in financial trickeries. The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) has also taken various measures to safeguard the interest of the consumers by spreading awareness on this matter through various media releases. . To throw more light and caution for the general public on this grave issue, PNB MetLife has launched a consumer awareness campaign #BaatonMeinMatAana.

With this integrated campaign, PNB MetLife aims to educate the consumers on how to protect themselves from increasingly prevalent financial cybercrime. The campaign, which will run on TV, social media, email and other digital media, includes a three-part video series featuring Anup Soni, well known for hosting a crime anthology series. He, in his style and demeanour, explains how not to avoid falling prey to fake insurance calls. The videos warn users about fake callers who are contacting insurance customers with offers like interest-free loans or other special benefits in order to obtain their confidential financial information.

Though Covid-19 has shown a sharp decline in crime rates, it has also demonstrated a steep spike in online fraud, this is evident from the new data released by the Delhi police wherein 60% of complaints registered were regarding the financial frauds in June 2020. As the world moves towards a more digitalized structure, people need to have a diligent idea about the product and advisor before they invest any money in them.

About the campaign, Nipun Kaushal, Chief Marketing Officer, PNB MetLife, said, “Imposter scams are still the most common fraud reported in the insurance industry in India. As a customer centric organization, it has always been our continuous endeavor to protect the interest of our consumers and through this campaign, we aim to shield them from potential financial loss. This campaign aims to create awareness and prevent, detect and investigate fraudulent calls. Along with these videos, we are engaging with our customers and agents on-ground to create awareness of this issue.”

To augment the campaign's reach and impact, PNB MetLife has used an integrated approach by including Television, Digital media, Social media, Whatsapp, Emailers and Website updates in its 360-degree marketing strategy.

Link to videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2J5XN49zdhQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGAvbQucBKA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kvAKKxl3Qk

Credentials of Creative Team:

• Creative agency – Law & Kenneth Saatchi & Saatchi
• Production House – Content Factory by Prodigious
• Director – Prasad Wadke
• Celebrity – Anup Soni

About PNB MetLife India Insurance Company Limited

PNB MetLife India Insurance Company Limited (PNB MetLife), one of the top 10 life insurance companies of India (Source – CRISIL), has as its shareholders MetLife International Holdings LLC. (MIHL), Punjab National Bank Limited (PNB), Jammu & Kashmir Bank Limited (JKB), M. Pallonji and Company Private Limited and other private investors, with MIHL and PNB being the majority shareholders.

For more information, follow us on Twitter @PNBMetLife1, www.facebook.com/PNBMetLife or visit www.pnbmetlife.com

• The marks “PNB” and “MetLife” are the registered trademarks of Punjab National Bank and Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, respectively. PNB MetLife India Insurance Company Limited is a licensed user of these marks”.