FSSAI and Trade Licence Agent Scam
A caller says your shop needs an FSSAI or trade licence now or faces a fine, and takes a high fee. See how small shops are pressed and what to check.
Tiny food stalls, tea shops and home bakers receive a call: an inspection is coming, the licence has expired, or the licence must be 'renewed today'. A consultant offers to do it for a high fee, or sends a link to a registration page that charges far more than the official cost. Some licences are never issued. The caller may also demand a fine to avoid a 'sealing' of the shop.
How the scam works
The scammers take business names and addresses from public listings and call small shops with the correct trade name. They say they represent a food safety or municipal department and that an inspection is planned this week. Some pose as consultants who 'handle all paper work' and promise a licence in two days with 'special contacts'.
The pressure is the fear of a fine or a sealed shop in a place where every day of sales matters. The caller sends a form or a link to a site that looks official, collects the owner's Aadhaar, PAN and photos, and asks a fee that is several times the actual charge. Extra charges are added for 'urgent processing', 'inspection clearance' and 'courier of certificate'.
The payoff is the fees and the documents. A fake certificate may be sent as a PDF that does not appear in any official record, which becomes clear when a genuine inspector arrives. The owner then faces a real problem with no licence, and the scammer has already moved on. The same documents can later be used for identity fraud or a false business registration.
An example of what you may see
Example call (invented): 'Sir, aapki dukaan ka food licence expire ho gaya hai, kal inspection hai. Fine Rs 25,000 lagega, lekin hum aaj hi renew kar denge sirf Rs 6,500 mein. Ye link khol kar apna Aadhaar aur PAN daaliye, aur payment is account mein kijiye. Certificate 2 ghante mein WhatsApp par aa jayega.' He adds that without it the shop will be sealed tomorrow. If you hesitate, he sends a photo of a 'sealed shop' notice and calls again within ten minutes.
This example is written for illustration. Real messages change their wording, names and links all the time.
Red flags
- A call that threatens a fine or sealing the next day.
- A fee that is several times the official charge, paid to a personal account.
- A form or link that is not on the official government portal.
- A certificate promised within hours by WhatsApp.
- A caller who claims special contacts in the department.
- A request for Aadhaar and PAN through a chat or an unknown link.
What to do right now
- Do not pay. Check your licence status on the official portal or at the local office.
- Apply or renew only through the official government portal typed by hand.
- Ask for an inspector's ID and a written notice before any action.
- Keep copies of your real licence and renewal dates in one place.
- Warn other shopkeepers in your market.
If you already paid or shared a code
- Call 1930 and report at cybercrime.gov.in with the payment and chat details.
- Tell your bank on the number printed on your card about the transfer.
- Check the licence number on the official portal to see if it is genuine.
- File a written complaint at the police station and inform the local office.
National Cyber Crime Helpline: 1930. Report online at cybercrime.gov.in. Do it fast: the sooner your bank is told, the better the chance that money can be held.
Where this scam shows up
Read how it looks on each channel:
How Safeavio helps
Safeavio's link check can look at a registration link before you open it and warn about lookalike domains and risky patterns, and the scam check marks the inspection threat and fee pressure in a message you paste. It cannot confirm whether a licence is valid, which is shown only on the official portal or at the local office. A local trade body can help too.
Check it before you tap or pay
Safeavio Sentinel is a made-in-India Android app: paste a message or link, or scan a QR code, and get a plain verdict with the reasons. It helps you spot a scam; it does not promise to stop every one.
Download for AndroidWhat the app does
Google Play listing: coming soon. Today the signed APK is on safeavio.com/download. Android 7.0 or later.
Questions people ask
How do I check my licence status?
Use the official portal for the licence, typed by hand, and look up your number. For a local trade licence, ask the municipal office in person with your receipt. Keep the licence number and its renewal date in a diary.
Can an inspector demand payment on a call?
No. An inspector comes with an identity card and a written notice. Fines are paid through official channels with a receipt. A call demanding UPI to a personal account is a scam. Ask to see his identity card and a written notice before doing anything, and tell the local office if he refuses.
Is it safe to share Aadhaar and PAN with a consultant?
Only with a person or firm you can verify, and ideally at an official centre. Documents sent over chat can be reused for fraud, so limit them to the minimum needed. Never send full copies unless you have checked who is receiving them.