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Have you ever wondered whether the GST that is applied to your bill while buying goods from a shopkeeper is real or fake? Most customers are confused about this, and many shopkeepers use this confusion to take advantage. Not every shopkeeper has the right to charge GST from you. Many times it happens that the shopkeeper does not have GST registration, yet they charge money by applying GST on the bill. Most customers are not aware of this, and that is why they are easily cheated.

But here we are going to give you all the important information about this so that in a few minutes, you can easily identify whether the GST being taken from you is correct or not.

What is GST? When and why was it implemented?
GST means Goods and Services Tax, which was implemented in 2017. Earlier, many different taxes like excise duty, customs duty, VAT, and service tax were levied. With its arrival, many taxes like excise duty, VAT, and service tax were abolished. After the arrival of GST, the entire tax system became the same. Now the tax rate on any item is the same across the country. The purpose of implementing GST was to simplify the tax system and stop tax evasion.

Which shopkeeper can collect GST?

Let us tell you that not every shopkeeper can collect GST from you. Only a shopkeeper who is registered with the government and who has a GSTIN i.e. Goods and Services Tax Identification Number. This is a 15-digit unique number that is written on every original GST bill. If GSTIN is not visible on your bill, then the shopkeeper is not entitled to collect GST from you.

GST registration is not necessary for small businessmen
The government has given an exemption to small businessmen. GST registration is not mandatory for those whose turnover is less than Rs 20 lakh (Rs 10 lakh in North East states). Such shopkeepers cannot collect GST from you. That is, if such shopkeepers collect GST, then it is wrong.

How to identify a fake GST bill?

The easiest way to identify a fake bill is to check the GSTIN. The first two digits of this number are the state code, and the rest of the numbers give the details of the shopkeeper. If you see VAT, TIN, or CST written on the bill instead of GSTIN, then understand that it is fake GST.

Many times, shopkeepers start charging GST by showing a VAT or TIN. This is a completely fake bill. The real GST bill will always have GSTIN written on it. You can check this number immediately by visiting www.gst.gov.in. If the details are not available, then the number is fake.

How to check whether GST is correct or not?
If you suspect that the wrong tax has been charged in your bill, then you can check it by visiting cbec-gst.gov.in. Here, you will get the option of 'GST Rates', where you can see the correct tax levied on any product or service. Also, you can check the 15-digit number of GST by entering it on the website www.gst.gov.in. If the number is real, the details will appear; otherwise, understand that the number is fake.

Where to complain

If you feel that more or fake GST has been charged from you, then you can easily complain about it. You can register a complaint by sending an email to helpdesk@gst.gov.in or cbecmitra.heldesk@icegate.gov.in. Apart from this, there is also an option to complain on the GST portal.

This way, next time, whenever you shop, before paying the bill, definitely check whether the GSTIN number is written in the bill or not. With this you can easily avoid fake GST bills and tax fraud.

Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from NDTV India. While we have made modifications for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.