Beware of fraudsters extorting money in the name of Indian Customs! Indian Customs never calls or send SMS for paying Customs Duty in a personal bank account. All communication from Indian Customs contain a DIN which can be verified on CBIC website. Public Notice has been issued as below-
OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS (AIR CARGO EXPORT)
NEW CUSTOM HOUSE NEAR I.E.G.I AIRPORT, NEW DELHI – 110037
C.No. VIII/Cus/ACE/NCT/Misc. Corr./306/Pt-I
Date: 20 .01.2022
PUBLIC NOTICE No. 03/2022
Sub: – Extortion of money in the names of Customs Officers. -reg.
Instances have come to the notice that general public is being cheated by unscrupulous elements, by first becoming friendly through social media i.e., face book/matrimonial sites/messenger or through some other channel and subsequently promising them to send parcels of various articles to India against payment in the name of Customs Duties. They then impersonate as Customs Officers by using their names and instruct the consignees (i.e., general public) to deposit money in the bank Account created by them for fraudulent purpose to extort money. They may also issue fictitious receipts for duty demand purportedly made by Customs.
2. General Public is hereby informed that Customs Officers never call anyone and ask to pay Customs Duty to any specific individual’s account or into his account. It is also informed that the Customs Duty can only be deposited in favour of Commissioner of Customs (Government Account) “A/c Head 0037 Customs Duties through nominated banks such as Punjab National Bank, State Bank of India etc. for the Commissionerate of Delhi Customs.
3. General public is also informed that whenever any promise of so-called parcel at Delhi Airport ostensibly sent by such unscrupulous elements is made, they can perform the due diligence by confirming the veracity of the tracking number of the parcels through the tracking service sites provided by authorized couriers or postal department.
4. Further, the General Public is alerted/advised not to pay any amount in the name of Customs to any person or to any private account, if anybody demands such payments claiming to be officer of Customs on the parcels alleged to be detained by Customs at Delhi Airport/Import/Export Shed/FPO.For any query or verification following Customs Officers can be contacted:
a) Deputy/Asstt. Commissioner of Customs, Foreign Post Office, Phone: 011-23238917.
b) Deputy/ Asstt. Commissioner of Customs, NCT, New Delhi, Phone: 01147019839 / 40571151.
c) Deputy/Asstt. Commissioner of Customs (Admn), Phone: 011-25654290
d) Superintendent of Customs (Hqr), Phone – 011-25655150.
(SANJAY BANSAL)
COMMISSIONER
AIR CARGO EXPORTS
Copy forwarded for information to:
1. The Chief Commissioner of Customs (DZ), NCH, New Delhi.
2. The Commissioner of Customs (Import/General/Airport/ICDs)
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
OFFICE OF THE PRINCIPAL COMMISSIONER OF CUSTOMS (AIRPORT & A.C.C.)
AIR CARGO COMPLEX, NSCBI AIRPORT, KOLKATA: 700 052
PUBLIC NOTICE NO. 67/2021
Subject: Extortion of money in the name of Customs Officers- regarding.
Instances have come to the notice of this Office that importers/exporters are being cheated by certain unscrupulous elements, who promise to get the Customs clearance done against payment of some amount. They impersonate as Customs officers by using their names and instruct the importers to deposit money in the Bank Accounts created for fraudulent purpose of extorting money. They may also issue fictitious receipts for having received the amount.
2. Members of exim trade are informed that the Customs duty shall be deposited in favour of Commissioner of Customs (Government Account) through the nominated nationalized bank. State Bank of India is the nominated bank for International Air Cargo Complex, Kolkata.
3. Customs officers never call anyone and ask to pay Customs duty or deposit into any account.
4. Further the exim trade members are hereby alerted not to pay any amount in the name of Customs to any person or to any private account. If anybody demands such payments claiming to be an officer of Customs or the consignment is alleged to be detained by Customs at ACC, Kolkata, then the public are advised to contact the Assistant / Deputy Commissioner of Customs (on. duty), ACC, Kolkata on land line no. 033-2511-1098, or, he/they can send e-mail to accadmn-apkolcus@gov.in for verification.
5. Difficulties faced, if any, may be brought to the notice of the undersigned.
Naveen Rana
Deputy Commissioner
DC/AC-IV-O/o Pr Commissioner-Customs-Air Port & ACC-Kolkata
Date: 30/08/2021
Copy to:
1. The Chief Commissioner of Customs, Custom House, Kolkata.
2. The Commissioner of Customs (Port), Custom House, Kolkata.
3. The Commissioner of Customs (Preventive), W.B., Custom House, Kolkata.
4. All Additional/ Joint Commissioners of Customs, Custom House, Kolkata.
5. All Deputy/Assistant Commissioners of Customs, Custom House, Kolkata.
6. The Deputy/Asst. Commissioner of Customs, Computer Cell, Custom House,Kolkata (with a request to upload this P.N. on the official website of Kolkata Customs).
7. Trade Associations.
8. Custom Broker’s Associations.
9. Notice Board (EDI Section), Air Cargo Complex, NSCBI Airport, Kolkata.
10.Office copy.
