Alert: Taxpayers Warned About Fraudulent Summons for GST Violations

The Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI) and the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) have issued a cautionary notice regarding fake and fraudulent summons being circulated by fraudsters. These summons, purportedly for GST violations, are being sent to taxpayers by individuals with malicious intent.

According to recent observations by DGGI and CBIC, certain individuals are fabricating summons and sending them to taxpayers, falsely claiming association with DGGI investigations. While these fake summons may appear authentic as they bear a Document Identification Number (DIN), it’s important to note that these DIN numbers have not been issued by DGGI for these entities.

To address this growing concern, DGGI has initiated stringent measures, including informing and lodging complaints with law enforcement agencies against those responsible for generating and circulating these fake summons.

In light of Circular No. 122/41/2019-GST issued by CBIC on 5th November 2019, taxpayers are reminded that they can verify the authenticity of any communication, including summons, from the Department. This can be done by utilizing the ‘VERIFY CBIC-DIN’ window on the CBIC’s website or through the DIN Utility Search available on the online portal of the Directorate of Data Management (DDM), CBIC.

Individual taxpayers who receive suspicious summons from DGGI/CBIC are advised to promptly report them to the concerned jurisdictional DGGI/CBIC office for verification. This proactive approach will enable authorities to take necessary action against those involved in perpetrating these fraudulent activities.

It is crucial for taxpayers to remain vigilant and cautious against such fraudulent attempts and to verify the legitimacy of any communication they receive from tax authorities.