Goods and Services Tax or GST came into effect in India on 1st July 2017. It replaced all the indirect taxes and became a single indirect tax for the whole nation. The most confusing part of GST is it has 4 different slabs 5%, 1%, 18% and 28%. Sellers are making use of this ambiguity to cheat customers and mint money. Many traders are making huge profits by increasing the price of goods by quoting GST. It is said that some traders are not passing the GST rate cut benefits to customers. Let’s see here about the GST frauds and how to make a complaint against it.
Some of the ways through which people are cheated are:
1. GST of 5% is charged on the garments which costs less than Rs 1,000/- and 1% is charged on the garments which costs more than Rs 1,000/-. But many traders are still charging 12% on all garments and making money.
2. Many dealers are charging extra in the name of GST on items of daily use like mineral water, grains, milk, vegetables, eggs which are exempt from GST.
3. GST rate on both AC and non-AC restaurants have been reduced to 5%. However, many restaurants still charge the previous rates.
Who can Collect GST from Customers?
Only those trader who are registered under GST with the GSTIN number and taxpayers having yearly turnover of more than Rs 20 lakhs or those companies which have inter-state businesses are required to register under GST regime. The person not fulfilling these criteria is not allowed to collect GST from customers. The customers who are unaware of these end up paying the GST and become the victim of GST frauds.
How to File Complaint Against GST Fraud?
If you are a victim of GST fraud, you can lodge a complaint in the following ways:
1. Post your complaint in the official website of Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs. You can post the complaint through the following link:
https://cbec-gst.gov.in/report-tax-fraud.html
While posting, you should also give the name and address of the shop/restaurant/organisation that has defrauded you.
2. You can also send an e-mail to cbecmitra.helpdesk@icegate.gov.in Your mail must contain all the details of the complaint and you can also include supporting documents.
3. You can also post your grievances on the official Twitter handles of GST (askGST_Goi) and the Finance Ministry (@FinMinIndia).
Hence, any Alankit fraud you come across must be fake. If you still have grievances you can utilise any of the above method to file a complaint against the shop/restaurant/business houses.
