FSSAI and Trade Licence Agent Scam by email

How it looks by email, the red flags and what to do.

Email is slower than SMS, so these scams usually pretend to be a bill, a refund, an account lock or a job offer and ask you to log in or open a file. FSSAI and Trade Licence Agent Scam is one of the ways this shows up: 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.

What fssai and trade licence agent scam looks like by email

• A button that says "Verify account" or "View invoice".
• An attachment such as a PDF, ZIP or HTML file you did not expect.
• A generic greeting instead of your name.

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'.

Red flags to check on the email

• 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.
• The email asks you to log in through the link rather than through the official app.
• It carries a surprise invoice, refund or legal notice.

What to do

1. Do not pay. Check your licence status on the official portal or at the local office.
2. Apply or renew only through the official government portal typed by hand.
3. Ask for an inspector's ID and a written notice before any action.
4. Do not open the attachment and do not press the button.
5. Go to the company website by typing it yourself and check your account there.
6. Check the full sender address, not just the display name.

Use Report phishing in your email app. If money or accounts are affected, call 1930 and report at cybercrime.gov.in.

If money or a code is already gone

1. Call 1930 and report at cybercrime.gov.in with the payment and chat details.
2. Tell your bank on the number printed on your card about the transfer.
3. Check the licence number on the official portal to see if it is genuine.
4. File a written complaint at the police station and inform the local office.

National Cyber Crime Helpline: 1930; report at cybercrime.gov.in.

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.

Full guide: FSSAI and Trade Licence Agent Scam: how it works, signs and what to do. Other channels: phone call, WhatsApp, SMS.

Questions