MCA Introduces New Safeguards to Prevent Fake SFIO Summons and Notices

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs issued a press release on November 21, 2025 related to technical and procedural safeguards to prevent impersonation or misuse of Summons/Notices.

The Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) is a agency of government that looks into huge cases of corporate fraud. When SFIO investigates a case, it sends summonses or Notices to people or businesses for questioning. These are issued under the rules of Section 217 of the Companies Act, 2013.

To stop fake Summons/Notices from being misused, SFIO has added following safety steps:

• All Summons/Notices are now digitally created, not manually typed.
• Each one has a QR code and a unique Document Identification Number (DIN) so anyone can verify if it is genuine.
• SFIO officers must use these digital notices and can issue manual ones only in very rare situations.

How to verify an SFIO summons/notice?

You can check its authenticity through two options:

1. Verification by scanning QR code:

Step 1: Scan the QR code mentioned on the Summons/Notice which will redirect to SFIO’s website.

Step 2: Fill in the DIN (Printed on the Summons/Notices)

Step 3: After submission of the QR code or DIN online, the full details of the Summons/Notice will appear on the screen.

2. Verification via SFIO’s website

Step 1: Visit url https://sfio.gov.in/en/ and select the Summon/Notice tab.

Step 2: Fill in the DIN (Printed on the Summons/Notices)

Step 3: After submission of the QR code or DIN online, the full details of the Summons/Notice will appear on the screen.

Benefits of Online System Verification

Following are some benefits of creating this online system verification-

• SFIO has created an online system so that anyone who receives a Summons or Notice can quickly check if it is real.
• These verification tools are meant to give people immediate confidence that the message they received is genuine and not fake.
• Every Summons or Notice goes through several levels of review before being sent, ensuring accuracy and preventing misuse.