The Pune City Traffic Police have issued a warning to citizens about a new fake traffic challan scam circulating on WhatsApp. Cybercriminals are sending fraudulent messages posing as traffic police to trick people into paying fake fines.
In a post shared on X, the Pune City Traffic Police urged users to be cautious before responding to such messages. “Got a WhatsApp challan? Think before you click! Fraudsters are sending fake WhatsApp messages posing as traffic police. Don’t fall for fake traffic challans. Verify before you pay, only trust official links,” the post read.
Along with the message, the police shared an image highlighting several red flags to help citizens identify potential scams.
People are advised to stay alert to the following signs of fraud:
- Messages sent from unknown numbers
- Files or apps named “Traffic Fine” or “RTO Challan”
- Payment requests from suspicious UPI IDs such as @okaxis or @paytm
- Links that do not end with .gov.in or are not connected to parivahan.gov.in
How to report a scam
Citizens can report cyber fraud by calling 1930 or visiting cybercrime.gov.in.
Reports can also be made on the CHAKSHU platform through sancharsaathi.gov.in.
Victims are encouraged to file an FIR at the nearest police station or cyber cell with available evidence.
In a related case, a Pune resident was arrested for allegedly defrauding a man from Greater Noida of Rs 75 lakh through a “digital arrest” scam. The victim reported the case to the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP), which successfully froze around Rs 21 lakh linked to the scam. The accused was later tracked down in Pune through technical surveillance and intelligence inputs.
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