Fake GST summon: Taxpayers alerted on bogus GST violation summons

In a bid to combat rising fraudulent activities targeting taxpayers, the Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI) and the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) have issued a stern warning against individuals peddling fake summons for GST violations.

Regardless of their status under DGGI investigation, taxpayers are being targeted with counterfeit summons bearing Document Identification Numbers (DIN), which are not issued by the DGGI.

This alarming trend has prompted DGGI to take decisive action, including filing complaints with law enforcement agencies to tackle the perpetrators behind these fraudulent summons. To assist taxpayers in verifying the authenticity of communications from the Department, CBIC has emphasised the importance of utilising official verification channels.

To alert the people, DGGI and CBIC, said, “Taxpayers are urged to exercise caution and vigilance, ensuring they verify the legitimacy of any communication, especially summons, by utilising 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.”

“Taxpayers who receive summons from DGGI/CBIC that arouse suspicions of being fake or fraudulent are encouraged to take immediate action. They are advised to report such instances to the concerned jurisdictional DGGI/CBIC office for thorough verification. By doing so, taxpayers can play a crucial role in aiding authorities to identify and apprehend those responsible for perpetrating these deceitful activities.”, the communication from both the authorities stressed.

With the proliferation of scams and fraudulent schemes targeting unsuspecting taxpayers, the alert has been issued for the people to remain vigilant and cautious and always use the official verification channels provided by CBIC to be safeguarded against any fake violation summons.