New Delhi, Oct 8 – India’s Enforcement Directorate (ED) has rolled out a new way for people to prove that a summons they receive is real. The new system adds a scannable QR code and a unique pass‑code to every official summons.
Why the change? Fraudsters have been sending fake ED notices that look almost identical to real ones, demanding money or threatening arrest. The ED said the new checks will stop “unscrupulous” scammers from pretending to be its officers and extorting victims.
The ED’s press release explained that each summons now comes from an internal system. The document will feature a QR code, a pass‑code at the bottom, the officer’s signature, stamp, official email and phone number. Officers must use this system for all summons, unless there’s an emergency reason not to.
How to verify a summons?
1. Scan the QR code. It opens the ED website where you type the pass‑code. The site will then show the person’s name, the officer’s rank and the issue date.
2. Go to enforcementdirectorate.gov.in and click “Verify Your Summons.” Enter the summons number and pass‑code.
The verification works 24 hours after the summons is issued, except on holidays and weekends. If you receive a summons that doesn’t follow this format, call Assistant Director Rahul Verma at the ED headquarters in New Delhi.
The ED also warned against “digital arrest” scams. Some fraudsters pretend to send online arrest orders, but the Directorate says all arrests under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) take place in person after due process. This follows growing reports of scammers leveraging public fear of law enforcement.
The agency’s 2024‑25 annual report said this QR‑code update builds on a 2021 system that let people verify summons by checking officer details. However, the new tool is faster and harder to fake.
Experts say that technology‑driven scams have risen sharply in recent years, with losses worth crores of rupees. Recent ED raids on fake bank guarantees and cyber fraud cases underline how urgent it is to stop these schemes.
“Don’t fall prey to fraudsters impersonating Enforcement Directorate officers,” the ED said in its statement. Individuals should report any suspicious messages to local police or cyber units right away.
As people use more digital platforms, tools like this QR‑code verification help keep the public safe and reduce the success rates of online scams.
Source: ianslive
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