Impersonating an officer of the Food Safety and Hygiene Department to defraud and appropriate property in Nghe An

Recently,Nghe An Food Safety and Hygiene Departmentreceived many complaints from businesses and food businesses in the province about the act of impersonating Department officials to defraud and appropriate property, affecting the reputation of the Department, causing bad public opinion and economic losses to food production, processing and business establishments.

The impersonators asked businesses and food establishments to buy documents on food safety knowledge or transfer money if they did not want to be inspected. Photo: Document

Specifically, via phone, the impersonators asked businesses and food production and trading establishments to buy food safety training materials or transfer money if they did not want to be prosecuted by authorities.inspectcompliance with food safety regulations, or to confirm that training in food safety knowledge has been received.

Previously, in 2019, this fraudulent impersonation phenomenon had appeared. At that time, the Nghe An Food Safety and Hygiene Department issued Official Letter No. 252/ATTP-NV dated May 29, 2019, warning about impersonating officers of the Food Safety and Hygiene Department to sell food safety documents.

Doctor Pham Ngoc Quy - Head of Nghe An Food Safety and Hygiene Department stated: Nghe An Food Safety and Hygiene Department absolutely has no policy on selling food safety documents to individuals and businesses producing, processing and trading food.

Nghe An Food Safety and Hygiene Department does not send staff to call or work directly with businesses and food establishments with requests for cash or transfers to personal accounts. At the same time, it does not collect fees related to the inspection of compliance with legal regulations on ensuring food safety at establishments; it does not sell training materials on food safety knowledge.

When conducting planned inspections and examinations, the Nghe An Food Safety and Hygiene Department will issue a written notice of the specific time and location to businesses and food establishments. In case of surprise inspections and examinations, the Inspection Team will present the inspection and examination decision at the business or food establishment and follow the correct procedures as prescribed.

Businesses and food establishments need to be wary of scammers who offer to "run" food safety certificates for establishments. Photo: Thanh Chung

Taking advantage of the name of the staff of the Nghe An Province Food Safety and Hygiene Department for personal gain, defrauding businesses and food establishments, hindering the production and business activities of businesses, and damaging the reputation and image of the Food Safety and Hygiene Department. The Department will send a notice to the People's Committees of districts, towns and cities to widely inform people and businesses in the area; work with the police to clarify the above behavior.

Nghe An Food Safety and Hygiene Department recommends that if businesses and food establishments encounter the above signs of impersonation, they should promptly report to the Department via phone number 02383.601.263 or local authorities and police agencies to verify information to prevent fraudulent acts of property appropriation.

At this time, in addition to the above-mentioned impersonation and fraud, there is another fraud phenomenon that needs to be noted, which is running for a certificate of food safety qualified facility. Businesses and food establishments need to be vigilant./.