CBIC cautions public against frauds in the name of Indian Customs

The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) warned the public to stay alert of frauds happening in the name of Indian customs and asked them to protect their information and reporting such acts by staying alert.

In a statement issued Sunday CBIC gave detailed information on the Modus operandi of such frauds who pose as Indian Customs officers cheating the public of their hard-earned money across the country.

This includes fraudsters posing as courier officials claiming that Customs have held a package or parcel and requires payment of Customs duties or taxes before it can be released.


In many cases victims are made to believe that their package has been seized by Customs due to illegal contents or violations. Fraudsters threaten legal action or fines and demand payment to resolve the issue.

The CBIC said various incidents have come to light through news portals/social media platforms of fraudulent persons posing as Indian Customs officers cheating the public of their hard-earned money across the country.

These frauds are primarily done using digital means like phone calls or SMS, and are focused on extracting money through the 'purported' fear of immediate penal actions.

In order to counter these frauds through public awareness, CBIC is mounting a multi-modal awareness campaign that includes newspaper advertisement, SMS/e-mails to the general public, social media campaign, besides awareness campaigns by CBIC field formations.