Over a period of one week there have been reports of persons impersonating licenced custom house brokers and officers of the Guyana Revenue Authority (GRA), demanding money for various services and then vanishing.
As such, the GRA says it is advising the public to be on the look-out for these ‘imposters’ as “many have fallen victim to their hoax.”
According to the GRA, their officers are not “authorised to collect monies from taxpayers since all payments are effected at the Cashier’s – GRA’s Regional Offices and its Headquarters.”
Further to this, the Revenue Authority says a receipt should be obtained for all payments to the GRA.
The Revenue Authority is advising that anyone who encounters these individuals to request proof of identification, since all staff of the GRA and brokers are required to carry identification cards during the course of their duties.
Additionally, it is recommended that taxpayers note the identification number
and name of any individual claiming to be from the GRA and requesting money or any other
inducements.
“The legitimacy of the exercise can also be verified by calling 227-6060 extension numbers 3201-3208 and/or to make a report or visiting www.gra.gov.gy for the
complete list of Licenced Customhouse Brokers.”
Meanwhile, the GRA also said that it is in receipt of information that there is a rumor being circulated on social media that “refund cheques which were not collected from the GRA by December 31, 2017 would be forfeited.”
“This is a falsehood – NO such information ever emanated from the Authority” the GRA said.”Currently the Authority is fast-tracking efforts to process refunds for taxpayers in keeping with the law and its commitment to employees and other individual taxpayers who have tax refunds pending.”
