In an important announcement made by the Ministry of Finance on 10th February 2024, taxpayers have been cautioned against an alarming trend of receiving fake and fraudulent summons for GST violations. The Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI) and the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) have observed that fraudsters are targeting taxpayers with counterfeit summons that may appear legitimate at first glance. These notices even feature Document Identification Numbers (DIN), albeit fake ones, attempting to exploit the trust between the taxpayers and the regulatory bodies.

The Menace of Bogus Summons: The fraudulent summons, crafted with deceptive accuracy, are not just a direct threat to the integrity of the tax administration system but also pose significant risks to the unsuspecting taxpayers who may or may not be under investigation by the DGGI. The Ministry of Finance, through its vigilant observation, has noted the meticulous efforts by some individuals to undermine the tax compliance framework by creating and disseminating these counterfeit documents.

Steps Taken by DGGI and CBIC: To combat this nefarious activity, the DGGI has not only alerted the taxpayers but also initiated legal actions by filing complaints with law enforcement agencies against the perpetrators. Furthermore, the CBIC has reinforced the utility of tools like the 'VERIFY CBIC-DIN' window available on the CBIC's website and the DIN Utility Search on the Directorate of Data Management (DDM)'s online portal. These tools are instrumental in enabling taxpayers to ascertain the authenticity of any communication received from the department, thus guarding against potential fraud.

How Taxpayers Can Protect Themselves: Taxpayers are urged to remain vigilant and utilize the verification mechanisms provided by the CBIC to check the genuineness of summons and other communications. In instances where the summons received appear dubious or potentially fake, immediate reporting to the concerned jurisdictional DGGI/CBIC office is advised. Such proactive measures are crucial for the early detection and neutralization of these fraudulent schemes.

Conclusion: The Ministry of Finance's alert serves as a critical reminder of the persistent threats lurking in the digital age, where the semblance of legitimacy can easily be forged. The proactive stance taken by the DGGI and CBIC, coupled with the empowerment of taxpayers through verification tools, highlights the comprehensive strategy adopted to safeguard the interests of the taxpayers and the sanctity of the tax administration system. As the battle against fraud intensifies, the collective vigilance of taxpayers and the swift action by authorities remain our best defense.

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Ministry of Finance

 Caution against fraudsters sending fake and fraudulent Summons for GST violations

Taxpayers can check the veracity of any communication from DGGI/CBIC by using the 'VERIFY CBIC-DIN' window on the CBIC's website

Taxpayers can also use the DIN Utility Search on online portal of Directorate of Data Management (DDM), CBIC

In case of suspicion of bogus summons, taxpayers may immediately report to DGGI/CBIC jurisdictions

Posted On: 10 FEB 2024 7:33PM by PIB Delhi

The Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI), Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) has recently noticed that some individuals with fraudulent intent are creating and sending fake summons to the taxpayers who may or may not be under investigation by the DGGI. The fake summons that are being sent out might look real because they have a Document Identification Number (DIN), but these DIN numbers are not issued by DGGI in the case of these entities. To deal with this issue, DGGI has been taking serious steps by informing and filing complaint with the Police against those involved in creating and sending fake and fraudulent summons.

CBIC has issued Circular No. 122/41/2019-GST dated 05th November 2019 regarding generation and quoting of DIN on communications sent by CBIC officers to taxpayers. For the awareness of the taxpayers, it is reminded that taxpayers can verify the genuineness of any communication (including Summons) from the Department by using the 'VERIFY CBIC-DIN' window on the CBIC's website or the DIN Utility Search on the online portal of Directorate of Data Management (DDM), CBIC.

Individual taxpayers who get summons from DGGI/CBIC formations that seem suspicious or possibly fake may immediately report them to concerned jurisdictional DGGI/ CBIC office also for verification, so that necessary action against those responsible for these fraudulent activities can be taken.