Fake Summons: ED Introduces Measures to Help Citizens Verify Authenticity
The summons issued by the ED can be verified using the QR code printed on them or by visiting the official ED website
Hyderabad: In light of reports of individuals circulating fake summons in its name for the purpose of cheating or extortion, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has introduced measures to help citizens verify authenticity.
These fake summons often resemble genuine ED notices, making them difficult to distinguish. To address this, ED now issues system-generated summons featuring a QR code and a unique passcode. The summons issued by the ED can be verified using the QR code printed on them or by visiting the official ED website. It does not conduct digital or online arrests and citizens are advised to remain vigilant and not fall prey to fraudsters impersonating ED officials.
A statement issued from the office of Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday, during the course of investigation, summons are issued by the ED under the provisions of section 50(2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) and Section 37 of Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA).
However, multiple instances have come to its notice wherein certain "unscrupulous" persons (conman) have sent summons to individuals with the motive of cheating or extortion. These fake summons are often similar to the genuine summons issued by ED and hence, it is difficult for the individuals to distinguish between the fake and genuine summons.
In order to allow the individuals to verify the authenticity of the summons received by them, the ED has implemented a mechanism of generating summons through the system which bears QR code and a unique passcode at the bottom of the summons.
Officials of ED have been instructed to issue summons only through the system except in certain exceptional circumstances. It may also be noted that the summons generated from the system shall be duly signed and stamped by the official issuing the summons and shall also contain his/her official email id and the phone number for correspondence purpose.
Verification of the authenticity of the system generated summons can be done after 24 hours of summons issuing date excluding public holidays, Saturdays and Sundays. Further, it is noticed that scammers are defrauding the common public in the name of digital arrest by showing fake arrest orders issued by law enforcement agencies including ED and impersonating as its officers.
It is reiterated that arrests made by ED are done after following due procedure and are done physically in person. There is no concept of digital arrest or online arrest under the PMLA Act. The ED reaffirms its commitment to dismantle fraudulent practices and advises the public not to fall prey to fraudsters impersonating its officers.
