How to Verify a Mutual Fund Distributor's ARN in 2 Minutes

Anyone can print "mutual fund consultant" on a visiting card. Only someone registered with AMFI can legally distribute mutual funds, and checking takes less time than making tea.

What an ARN is

ARN stands for AMFI Registration Number. A person gets it only after passing the NISM Series V-A exam and registering with AMFI, and it must be renewed every three years. It looks like ARN-337289 (that one's mine).

Individuals who work for a distributor firm also have an EUIN (Employee Unique Identification Number), which appears on your transactions so you know who handled them.

How to check an ARN

1. Go to amfiindia.com and open Locate Distributor (you'll find it under the investor or distributor section).
2. Search by ARN. You can also search by name or city.
3. Check three things:
   • Name matches the person or firm you are dealing with.
   • Validity date is in the future. An expired ARN cannot earn commission on new business.
   • City and address make sense for where they say they work.

If the ARN doesn't show up, or the name is different, stop there.

Red flags

• "Guaranteed" returns on equity funds. Nobody can guarantee market returns.
• Payments to a personal or company account. Your money should only go to the mutual fund's own account, through BSE StAR MF, NSE, MF Central or the fund house's website.
• Requests for OTPs, net banking passwords or signed blank forms.
• Calling themselves an "adviser", "IFA" or "wealth manager" without a SEBI investment adviser registration. Distributors aren't allowed to.
• Constant switching between funds or NFO pushing without a clear reason tied to your goals.

Confirm your money actually arrived

Even with a genuine distributor, verify every transaction yourself:

• After each purchase you should get an SMS and email from the fund house or its registrar (CAMS or KFintech), not just a WhatsApp from the distributor.
• Download your Consolidated Account Statement (CAS) for free from CAMS, KFintech or MF Central. It lists every folio and unit in your PAN across all fund houses.
• Your distributor's ARN appears against each investment in the statement. That's how you know who is linked to your account.

If something goes wrong

Raise it first with the fund house. If it isn't resolved, you can complain to SEBI through its online grievance system, SCORES, and to AMFI for issues involving a distributor.

Check mine

I'm Chirag Sharma, AMFI registered mutual fund distributor, ARN-337289, valid until 13 August 2028, based in Jaipur. Please look it up on the AMFI website before you invest with me. You'll find my NISM certificate and ARN card on the about page. If you want help reading your CAS or checking an existing distributor, book a free call.

Questions people ask

How can I check if my mutual fund agent is genuine?

Search their ARN on the Locate Distributor page of amfiindia.com and confirm the name and validity date. Also make sure all payments go to the mutual fund's account and that you receive confirmations directly from the fund house or registrar.

What is the difference between ARN and EUIN?

ARN is the AMFI Registration Number of the distributor (a person or firm). EUIN is a unique number for an individual employee or relationship manager working under a distributor firm, so each transaction can be traced to the person who handled it.

Where can I see all my mutual fund investments in one place?

Download a Consolidated Account Statement (CAS) from CAMS, KFintech or MF Central using your PAN and email. It shows all your folios across fund houses.