Summary of this article
RBI dismissed social media claims about changing cheque book rules from 2027.
Existing Cheque Truncation System books remain completely valid and in active use.
The public must rely only on official communications published by RBI.
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has clarified that a message circulating on social media about changes to existing cheque books is misleading. It has urged people to rely on information shared through its official channels. The central bank has called the message misleading and asked people to rely on information shared through its official channels.
In a post on X, RBI said, “It has come to the notice of the Reserve Bank of India that a message is circulating on social media claiming that the standard Cheque Truncation System (CTS) cheque books currently in use will change from December 31, 2026 and the new cheque books featuring updated security standards will come into effect from January 1, 2027.”
Rejecting the claim, the central bank said, “At present, the Reserve Bank of India is not introducing any such measures with regard to the CTS cheque books. As such, the message is factually incorrect and misleading.”
RBI also asked members of the public to rely only on information published by the central bank from time to time on such matters. Along with its clarification, RBI attached an image of the circulating message and marked it as fake.
What Does The Fake Cheque Book Message Claim?
The fake image claims that from January 1, 2027, existing cheque leaves will be accepted only for payments up to Rs 50,000, while new cheque books will be required for higher-value payments. Alphanumeric codes, improved Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) lines, hidden UV codes, and a direct connection between cheque leaves and the RBI system are among the reported alterations mentioned.
Also, the fake message further claims that Bank of Baroda has already started issuing new cheque books and that other banks will follow. It suggests that customers can obtain them through bank branches, banking apps, or net banking. These claims are part of the fake message and do not represent new RBI directives.
PIB Fact Check Also Flags The Claim As Fake
The Press Information Bureau’s (PIB) Fact Check unit has also flagged the circulating message as fake. In its post, it clarified that RBI had not announced new cheque book rules coming into effect from January 1, 2027. PIB Fact Check urged people to verify information through official sources and avoid forwarding unverified claims.
RBI has similarly advised the public to rely on its official communications for information about banking-related changes. There is currently no RBI directive requiring customers to replace their existing CTS cheque books by December 31, 2026.
