The Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) is mounting a multi-modal awareness campaign against the frauds committed in the name of Indian Customs, the Ministry of Finance notified on Sunday.

It said that 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 action, it highlighted.

In order to curb these prevailing frauds, the ministry mentioned the various campaigns undertaken by the CBIC.

These campaigns include Newspaper advertisements, SMS/Emails to the general public, social media campaigns, and the public awareness campaigns by CBIC field formations across the country in coordination with local administration and trade bodies to spread awareness on this issue.

The ministry also highlighted some of the common modus operandi used by fraudsters.

These include fraudsters posing as Courier officials/staff contact via calls, text messages or emails claiming that Customs have held a package or parcel and requires payment of Customs duties or taxes before it can be released.

They also use ‘Pressure Tactics’ like impersonating Customs/Police/CBI officials demanding payment of Customs duty/clearance fees for packages/gifts that purportedly have been received from a foreign country and require Customs clearance.

Targeted individuals are asked to make payments for the release of their goods.

As per the modus operandi, the targeted persons are informed that their package has been seized by Customs due to illegal contents (such as drugs/foreign currency/fake passport/contraband items) or violations of Customs regulations. Fraudsters threaten legal action or fines and demand payment to resolve the issue.

The CBIC has advised the public to take certain measures to safeguard themselves from becoming a victim of such scams.

It said that the Indian Customs officers never contact the general public via phone, SMS, or e-mail for payment of duty in private accounts. Disconnect calls and never respond to messages, if you suspect fraud or encounter any irregularities.

“Never share or disclose personal information (Passwords, CVV, Aadhar number, etc.), or send money to unknown individuals or organizations without verifying their identity and legitimacy,” it advised.

Further, it advised to verify all the communications from Indian Customs consist of a Document Identification Number (DIN), which can be verified on the CBIC website.

Immediately report such cases to www.cybercrime.gov.in or helpline number 1930.