Fake GST officer visits or calls your business demanding cash payment
Criminals posing as CGST officers visit small businesses or call traders claiming GST irregularities, demanding cash or UPI payment to settle it. Real CGST officers collect dues only via gst.gov.in and always carry a DIN-bearing notice.
Also known as: fake CGST officer scam, GST inspector fraud, fake GST raid scam, GST notice fraud India
Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes
Call 1930 now- 1 Call 1930 — the national cyber-crime helpline — right now. The sooner you report, the better the chance of freezing the money before it moves.
- 2 Call your bank to freeze the account and block the card immediately. Use the number printed on your card, never a number from the message or caller.
- 3 File a report at cybercrime.gov.in and keep every message, screenshot, and transaction ID.
What to do right now
- 1 Do not pay cash or transfer money to anyone claiming to be a GST officer on the spot — hang up or ask them to leave
- 2 Ask for the officer's photo identity card, designation, and the written authorization (DIN-bearing notice) for the visit; a genuine officer will provide these
- 3 Call your nearest CGST / GST commissionerate office using the number listed on gst.gov.in to verify whether any notice was actually issued against your GSTIN
- 4 If threatened or if money was taken, file a complaint with your local police and also with the GST Council helpline at 1800-103-4786
- 5 Report at https://cybercrime.gov.in or call 1930 (national cyber helpline).
Red flags
- ⚠ Genuine CGST officers never demand cash, UPI, wallet, or personal bank transfer — all dues are paid only through the official GST portal (gst.gov.in)
- ⚠ Every legitimate CGST notice or summons carries a Document Identification Number (DIN); demand to see it before engaging
- ⚠ Real CGST officers carry a photo identity card and a written authorization under Section 67 CGST Act for inspections — ask to see both
- ⚠ Urgency and threats ('settle now or face arrest') are pressure tactics; no genuine officer demands immediate on-the-spot payment
- ⚠ Legitimate CGST communication comes only from official @gov.in email IDs, never from WhatsApp, personal email, or phone calls demanding payment
Fake GST officer impersonation targets small traders, shopkeepers, and MSMEs who may be unfamiliar with the formal procedures that govern genuine CGST inspections.
How to verify a real CGST officer on the spot:
- Ask for a government-issued photo identity card.
- Ask for the written authorization under Section 67 of the CGST Act — this document must carry a Document Identification Number (DIN).
- Call your nearest CGST commissionerate office (number on gst.gov.in) to confirm the visit was officially authorized.
- All GST dues are paid only through the GST portal (gst.gov.in) — never in cash or via UPI to an individual.
If you have already paid: file a police complaint immediately and contact the GST Council helpline at 1800-103-4786. Also report at cybercrime.gov.in or call 1930.