ED warns public against fake summons and ‘Digital Arrest’ scams

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has cautioned the public about multiple instances of fraudsters sending fake summons resembling the agency’s official notices, with the intent to cheat and extort money.

Officials clarified that the ED, during the course of investigations, issues summons under the provisions of Section 50(2) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA) and Section 37 of the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (FEMA).

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According to officials, these fake summons often appear similar to genuine ones issued by the anti–money laundering agency, making it difficult for individuals to distinguish between authentic and forged documents.

To help individuals verify the authenticity of summons received by them, the ED has implemented a system-generated summons mechanism, which includes a QR code and a unique passcode printed at the bottom of each document.

ED officials have been instructed to issue summons only through this system, except in exceptional circumstances. Each system-generated summons is duly signed and stamped by the issuing officer and includes the officer’s official email ID and contact number for correspondence.

Recipients can verify the authenticity of a summons by scanning the QR code, which redirects them to the ED’s official website. By entering the unique passcode, individuals can view details such as the name of the summoned person and the credentials of the concerned officer.

The agency has also stated that system-generated summons can be verified after 24 hours of the issue date, excluding public holidays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

In a related warning, the ED has alerted the public about scammers impersonating enforcement officers and conducting so-called “digital arrests” by showing fake arrest orders purportedly issued by law enforcement agencies, including the ED.

The agency emphasized that all arrests made by the ED follow due legal procedure and are carried out physically and in person. It reiterated that there is no concept of a “digital” or “online” arrest under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002.