Finance Ministry Issues Trade Notice Warning Taxpayers About Fake GST Officers

The Ministry of Finance (Department of Revenue) on March 10, 2026, has shared a trade notice regarding the impersonation of GST officers and the procedure to be followed during the inspection or search proceedings.

The Ministry has noticed that in some areas, certain unscrupulous people are pretending to be Central GST (CGST) officers. These people try to cheat taxpayers by asking for money or personal information. Because of this, the Ministry has issued an important clarification about how real CGST officers operate.

Government’s Clarification

The Ministry clearly stated that CGST officers never ask for payment in cash or through personal bank accounts, UPI IDs, wallets, or any unofficial method. They also do not ask for personal or sensitive information through phone calls, SMS, WhatsApp, or personal email accounts.

Instead, official communication from CGST officers is done only through the GST common portal (www.gst.gov.in), official government email IDs that end with @gov.in, or official notices or summonses that contain a Document Identification Number (DIN).

The government also explained that inspection, search, and seizure actions are carried out under Section 67 of the Central Goods and Services Tax Act, 2017. Such actions can only be conducted by a proper officer who has been officially authorised in writing by the competent authority. During such proceedings, the authorised officer must carry a valid government photo ID card and a written authorisation which should clearly mention the officer’s name and designation, the address of the place to be inspected or searched, and the GSTIN of the registered person if applicable.

The government has advised all registered taxpayers to verify certain documents before allowing any officer to enter their premises for inspection or search. They should check the official photo ID card of each officer and the written authorisation issued by the competent authority.

If a taxpayer has any doubt about the identity of the officers, they should immediately contact the jurisdictional office of the Principal Commissioner or Commissioner of Central Tax. They may also contact the Additional or Joint Commissioner of Central Tax (Vigilance), PCCO Bengaluru Central Tax, at 080-22867093.

Taxpayers are also advised to verify the Document Identification Number (DIN) mentioned on the inspection or search authorisation. In some cases, documents issued through the public option in the e-office system do not require a separate DIN. Instead, the unique “Issue Number” generated by the e-office system acts as a valid DIN. This number can be verified on the official website, i.e., https://verifydocument.cbic.gov.in.

Lastly, the government has requested trade bodies and chambers of commerce to spread this information among all their members to create awareness and prevent fraud by people pretending to be GST officers.