Prize invoice pilot cities have already allocated 1.85 billion yuan; three types of violations will be重点 investigated.

A reporter learned from the State Taxation Administration that since the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Commerce, and the State Taxation Administration launched a six-month prize-invoice pilot program in 50 cities this year, as of March 12, the prize-invoice pilot cities have issued RMB 1.85 billion in prize funds, cumulatively attracting 230 million person-times to take part in the activities.

Relevant departments found that, during the process of promoting the prize-invoice activities, some consumers and merchants violated the activity rules in order to improve their chances of winning, and engaged in conduct such as issuing red-letter reversal invoices after the drawing and repeatedly voiding invoices. This disrupts the order of fair participation and damages the lawful rights and interests of the broad consumer public.

A relevant official from the Tax Administration and Technology Development Division of the State Taxation Administration introduced that the so-called “red reversal invoices” refer to actions that invalidate the original invoice due to factors such as sales returns, errors in invoicing, suspension of taxable services, sales allowances, and so on. Without reasonable grounds, invoices may not be arbitrarily voided by red reversal. According to relevant laws and regulations, during the conduct of the prize-invoice activities, relevant departments will focus on monitoring and investigating three categories of violations: fraudulent invoice issuance, issuing invoices through unreasonable splitting or combining, and violations involving red reversal invoices.

Experts said that coordinated oversight by departments including the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Finance, and the State Taxation Administration, strengthening real-time validation of invoice information and data sharing, will effectively prevent violations such as fraudulent invoice issuance and red reversal invoices, and strongly ensure the activities are carried out in a standardized and fair manner, safeguarding the orderly advancement of the pilot work. Businesses and consumers should follow relevant rules regarding invoice issuance, participation in drawings, and the like, jointly creating a fair, orderly, and trustworthy consumption environment, and truly achieving the activity goals of letting the public benefit and promoting consumption to stabilize growth.

(CCTV reporter Li Xia)

(Editor: Wen Jing)

Keywords:

                                                            Prize-invoice