ED Warns against Fake Summons and Arrest Notices Sent by Fraudsters

Moneylife Digital Team 09 October 2025

Public Interest

The directorate of enforcement (ED) has cautioned the public against fraudulent individuals issuing fake summons in the agency’s name to cheat or extort money and has rolled out a digital mechanism to help citizens verify the authenticity of summons issued under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).

ED says it had come across multiple instances where unscrupulous persons—posing as officials of the agency, sent counterfeit summons to individuals. These fabricated documents closely resemble genuine ED communications, making it difficult for recipients to tell the difference.

To curb such incidents, the agency has implemented a new system-generated summons process. All legitimate ED summons will now carry a QR code and a unique passcode at the bottom, allowing recipients to independently verify authenticity through the agency’s official website.

“Officials of ED have been instructed to issue summons only through the system except in certain exceptional circumstances,” the agency says in a public statement.

“The system-generated summons shall be duly signed and stamped by the issuing officer and contain their official email ID and phone number for correspondence.”

How To Verify an ED Summons

ED outlined two methods for verification—by scanning the QR code or by entering details on its official website.

• Method 1: QR Code Verification

Scan the QR code printed on the summons.

The scan will redirect the user to the ED’s website.

Enter the unique passcode printed at the bottom of the summons.

If valid, the system will display key details such as the recipient’s name, issuing officer’s name and designation and the date of summons.

• Method 2: Website Verification

Visit https://enforcementdirectorate.gov.in and click on ‘Verify Your Summons’.

Enter the summons number and unique passcode in the respective fields.

The corresponding details will appear on screen if the summons is genuine.

The agency clarified that verification will be possible 24 hours after the issuance date, excluding weekends and public holidays.

For summons that could not be generated through the digital system, individuals can contact assistant director Rahul Verma at the ED headquarters in New Delhi for manual verification, the agency says.

ED also drew attention to a new form of online fraud known as ‘digital arrest’, in which scammers impersonate the agency or other law enforcement officers and display fake online arrest orders to intimidate victims into paying money.

The agency categorically stated that there is no concept of ‘digital arrest’ or ‘online arrest’ under the PMLA.

“Arrests made by ED are conducted physically and only after following due legal procedure,” the statement clarified.

D reaffirmed its commitment to dismantling such fraudulent practices and urged the public not to respond to or engage with individuals claiming to represent the agency through unofficial means.

“Citizens are advised to verify any communication purporting to be from the Enforcement Directorate using the new online verification system and to report suspicious activity immediately,” the agency said.

The move marks a significant step in ED’s efforts to strengthen transparency and curb impersonation scams that exploit the agency’s name for financial fraud.

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