Nagpur: In a bid to curb the rising instances of financial fraud, the Union Finance Ministry has issued a cautionary tweet advising users of dating and matrimonial websites to exercise caution and vigilance against scams involving Indian Customs.
The Ministry’s official Twitter handle recently shared a poster highlighting the dangers of falling victim to a “matrimonial dating scam,” wherein fraudsters attempt to extort money from individuals under the guise of customs duty payments.
The Ministry’s tweet emphasized that Indian Customs never initiates communication via text messages or calls to request payments for customs duty. The advisory further stressed the importance of verifying any communication by looking for the Document Identification Number (DIN), a unique identifier that is appended to all official correspondence from Indian Customs. This DIN can be cross-checked and verified on the official website of the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC).
The warning cautioned the public to be wary of scams that attempt to coerce individuals into paying customs duty fees through personal bank accounts. It reiterated that legitimate communications from Indian Customs will always contain a verifiable DIN and will not involve direct solicitation for payments.
In the event that an individual becomes a victim of such a scam, the Delhi Police’s Cyber Crime Cell has provided a step-by-step guide to file a complaint:
How to Complain:
Step 1: Capture a screenshot that clearly displays the URL of the suspected fake profile used in the scam.
Step 2: Lodge a formal complaint with the nearest police station, outlining the entire incident in detail. Include evidence, such as screenshots and other relevant documents, to support the complaint.
Step 3: Retain digital copies of all pertinent documents and provide them to the assigned investigating officer. If possible, also provide hard copies of the evidence. It’s important to note that these scams can sometimes extend over weeks or months, with scammers even fabricating fake customs duty receipts and images of purported gifts to prolong their fraudulent activities.
The Finance Ministry’s warning comes as part of a broader effort to raise awareness about online scams and to equip individuals with the knowledge needed to protect themselves against financial fraud. By encouraging vigilance and responsible reporting, the government aims to minimize the impact of such scams on unsuspecting victims.
