UDGAM Unclaimed Deposit Name Mismatch in West Bengal
RBI's UDGAM portal lets you search for bank deposits that have lain untouched for ten years or more and been moved to RBI's fund. Finding the money is the easy part. The search, and later the claim, both match names, and an old account opened in a maiden name, a short name or a different spelling is exactly where they fail. This page shows how to search when your name has changed, what the bank branch needs to pay out, and how a legal heir proves the link when the name on the old passbook does not match.
Get Call and Name Change Format
Claiming an Unclaimed Deposit When the Name Does Not Match (Quick Answer)
Search UDGAM with the name exactly as it was on the old account, trying each spelling and the maiden name, plus one ID such as PAN. UDGAM only shows where the money is; the claim is made at the bank branch. Take your current KYC, any old passbook or cheque book, and a one and the same person affidavit linking the old and new names. Heirs add the death certificate and proof of relationship. Searching and claiming are free.
| Claimant | Proof the branch usually asks for |
|---|---|
| Account holder, name changed after marriage | Current KYC, marriage certificate or affidavit linking maiden and married names |
| Account holder, spelling or short name differs | Current KYC and a one and the same person affidavit |
| Nominee of a deceased holder | Death certificate, nominee's KYC, affidavit if the nominee's name differs |
| Legal heir, no nominee | Death certificate, relationship proof, bank's heir claim papers, affidavit for name gaps |
| Joint account survivor | Death certificate of the other holder and survivor's KYC |
What UDGAM Is and How Deposits Become Unclaimed
When a savings account, current account or fixed deposit has no customer activity for ten years, the bank transfers the balance to the Depositor Education and Awareness (DEA) Fund kept by the Reserve Bank of India. The money is not lost. The customer or their heirs can claim it from the bank at any time, and the bank pays it back.
To help people find such deposits, RBI launched UDGAM (Unclaimed Deposits, Gateway to Access Information) in August 2023 at udgam.rbi.org.in. You register with a mobile number and search across the banks on the portal. Reports in mid 2025 said 30 banks were covered and that banks had transferred over Rs 67,000 crore of unclaimed deposits to RBI by 30 June 2025.
From October to December 2025 the Finance Ministry also ran a nationwide campaign, Aapki Poonji Aapka Adhikar (Your Money, Your Right), with camps to help people trace bank deposits, insurance, dividends, shares and mutual funds.
Searching UDGAM When Your Name Has Changed
UDGAM asks for the account holder's name and one more detail, such as PAN, voter ID, driving licence or passport number, or date of birth. The search matches the name as the bank recorded it, often many years ago.
If you opened the account before marriage, search with your maiden name. If the passbook said "S. K. Ghosh", try the initials as well as the full name. If the bank wrote the surname in an older spelling, try that too.
Many old West Bengal accounts were opened before PAN was common, so the PAN on the bank's record may be blank. If a PAN search finds nothing, try the other ID options or the date of birth with the old name.
For a parent or grandparent, use their name exactly as on old passbooks, cheque leaves, FD receipts or letters from the bank. A result on UDGAM is a lead. It is the bank that confirms the account.
The Claim Is Made at the Bank Branch, Not on UDGAM
UDGAM shows you which bank holds the deposit. It does not pay it out. The claim goes to that bank, usually at any branch, though many banks prefer the branch where the account was opened.
The bank checks that you are the account holder, or entitled to the money, and then reclaims the amount from the DEA Fund and pays you, with interest where it applies on interest bearing deposits.
This is where name mismatches stop claims. The bank has the old name on file. You arrive with a new Aadhaar and PAN. The branch needs to see a paper trail linking the two before it pays.
Your Own Old Account in a Maiden Name or Old Spelling
If the account is yours, take your current Aadhaar and PAN, any old passbook, cheque book or FD receipt, and proof linking the names. For a married woman, a marriage certificate showing both names helps; see bank account name change after marriage.
For a spelling difference, a short name against a full name, or Bengali and English forms of the same name, a one and the same person affidavit is the usual link. The bank will update KYC on the account, reactivate it and release the money.
Once the account is active, decide whether to keep it or close it. An account left alone again will drift back into the same position in ten years.
Nominees and Legal Heirs: Matching the Deceased's Name
For a deposit of someone who has died, the bank compares three names: the name on its record, the name on the death certificate, and the claimant's name against the nomination or relationship proof. A difference in any one of them is raised.
A nominee claims with the death certificate and their own KYC. A legal heir without a nominee follows the bank's claim process for heirs, which may ask for an indemnity, a no objection from other heirs, or a succession certificate above the bank's limit; see succession certificate name mismatch.
If the death certificate spells the name differently from the passbook, an affidavit by the claimant linking the two usually satisfies the branch. If the death certificate itself is wrong, it is corrected by the registering body, which is a separate job.
The One and the Same Person Affidavit for Unclaimed Deposits
The affidavit states that the names in question belong to one person, lists each document carrying each name, and is signed before a notary on stamp paper. For heirs, it is sworn by the claimant about the deceased.
Most branches accept this for spelling, initials, maiden and married names, and Bengali and English forms. See one and the same person affidavit.
A gazette notification is rarely needed for an unclaimed deposit. It helps only when the name truly changed and the bank asks for official proof. It is supporting proof; the bank still updates its own record.
Unclaimed Shares, Insurance and Post Office Money Follow Their Own Routes
UDGAM covers bank deposits only. Unclaimed dividends and shares sit with the Investor Education and Protection Fund Authority; see IEPF unclaimed shares refund.
Unclaimed insurance money is claimed from the insurer, and post office savings, NSC and KVP from the post office; see post office savings name change.
The name rule is the same everywhere: the office pays the person on its record, so the paper trail linking the names is what you build first.
Mistakes When Claiming an Unclaimed Deposit
Searching only with your present name
Try the maiden name and old spellings.
Trying to claim on UDGAM
The claim is made at the bank.
Going to the branch without a name link
Take the affidavit or marriage certificate.
Paying an agent to search UDGAM
It is free and open to anyone.
Getting a gazette by default
An affidavit usually does the job.
Leaving the account idle again
Use it or close it.
How to Claim an Unclaimed Deposit With a Name Mismatch, in Order
Search UDGAM with every name form
Old name, maiden name, initials, old spellings.
Note the bank and reference
UDGAM shows the bank; note the details it gives.
Gather old papers
Passbook, cheque book, FD receipt, bank letters.
Prepare the name link
Affidavit, marriage certificate, death certificate as needed.
Claim at the branch
With current KYC and the claim form the bank gives you.
Follow up and close the loop
Reactivate or close the account once paid.
UDGAM Unclaimed Deposit Name Mismatch: FAQs
What is UDGAM?
RBI's portal, launched in August 2023, to search for unclaimed bank deposits across the banks on it, at udgam.rbi.org.in.
When does a deposit become unclaimed?
When there is no customer activity for ten years, the bank transfers it to RBI's DEA Fund.
Can I claim the money on UDGAM?
No. UDGAM only shows where it is. The claim is made at the bank.
My account was opened in my maiden name.
Search with the maiden name, then claim with your current KYC and proof linking the names.
UDGAM shows nothing with my PAN.
Old accounts may not have PAN recorded. Try the other ID options or date of birth with the old name.
My father's name is spelt differently on the passbook and death certificate.
An affidavit by you linking the two usually satisfies the bank.
Is there a fee?
No. Searching and claiming are free.
Do I need a succession certificate?
Only if there is no nominee and the bank's heir claim limit or policy requires it.
Do I need a gazette?
Rarely. An affidavit is usually enough.
Does UDGAM cover shares and insurance?
No, only bank deposits. Shares and dividends go through IEPF; insurance through the insurer.
Will I get interest?
Banks pay interest on interest bearing deposits as per RBI rules when they reclaim the amount.
What was Aapki Poonji Aapka Adhikar?
A Finance Ministry campaign from October to December 2025 to help people trace unclaimed bank deposits, insurance, dividends and shares.
Sources for UDGAM and Unclaimed Deposits
UDGAM: How to Claim
outlookmoney.com: launch, search inputs, 30 banks, Rs 67,000 crore.
UDGAM Portal Explained
vikaspedia.in: government information portal.
Your Money, Your Right Campaign
kashmirreader.com: October to December 2025.
Search for Grandparents' Deposits
businesstoday.in: step by step search.
Get Call and Name Change Format
Help Linking Names for an Unclaimed Deposit
Searching UDGAM and claiming from the bank are free, and you can do both yourself. Where we help is the affidavit that links the old passbook name to your present name, or a deceased relative's names across documents. Send us how each paper reads. Monday to Saturday, across West Bengal.