MCA Introduces New Safeguards to Prevent Fake SFIO Summons and Notices

MCA Introduces New Safeguards to Prevent Fake SFIO Summons and Notices

The Ministry of Corporate Affairs issued a press release on November 21, 2025 related to technical and procedural safeguards to prevent impersonation or misuse of Summons/Notices.

The Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) is a agency of government that looks into huge cases of corporate fraud. When SFIO investigates a case, it sends summonses or Notices to people or businesses for questioning. These are issued under the rules of Section 217 of the Companies Act, 2013.

To stop fake Summons/Notices from being misused, SFIO has added following safety steps:

All Summons/Notices are now digitally created, not manually typed.
Each one has a QR code and a unique Document Identification Number (DIN) so anyone can verify if it is genuine.
SFIO officers must use these digital notices and can issue manual ones only in very rare situations.

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How to verify an SFIO summons/notice?

You can check its authenticity through two options:

1. Verification by scanning QR code:

Step 1: Scan the QR code mentioned on the Summons/Notice which will redirect to SFIO’s website.

Step 2: Fill in the DIN (Printed on the Summons/Notices)

Step 3: After submission of the QR code or DIN online, the full details of the Summons/Notice will appear on the screen.

2. Verification via SFIO’s website

Step 1: Visit url https://sfio.gov.in/en/ and select the Summon/Notice tab.

Step 2: Fill in the DIN (Printed on the Summons/Notices)

Step 3: After submission of the QR code or DIN online, the full details of the Summons/Notice will appear on the screen.

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Benefits of Online System Verification

Following are some benefits of creating this online system verification-

SFIO has created an online system so that anyone who receives a Summons or Notice can quickly check if it is real.
These verification tools are meant to give people immediate confidence that the message they received is genuine and not fake.
Every Summons or Notice goes through several levels of review before being sent, ensuring accuracy and preventing misuse.