Hyderabad City Cyber Crime Police have issued a warning about a surge in cyber fraud involving fake e-Challan payment links circulated via SMS and WhatsApp. Fraudsters are sending messages claiming that vehicle owners have pending traffic challans and urging immediate payment through links that closely mimic official government portals.

A recent incident highlights the danger: a citizen attempting to pay a Rs 500 fine via a fake link ended up losing approximately Rs 6 lakh. The website appeared identical to the official Police portal, but moments after entering payment details, fraudsters charged €6,900 (around Rs 6 lakh) on his credit card through unauthorized international transactions.

Victims who click these links are asked to enter their vehicle registration numbers, after which a challan amount is displayed. Proceeding with payment can result in malicious software being installed on phones or banking credentials being compromised, leading to unauthorized transactions and mobile hacking.

Cyber Crime Police have urged citizens to make traffic challan payments only through official government portals such as ttp://echallan.parivahan.gov.in or the State Traffic Police website. They emphasized that government departments do not send payment links via WhatsApp or personal messages. Users should never share OTPs, UPI PINs, debit/credit card details, or personal information on unverified websites. Apps should only be installed from official stores, and mobile phones should have the latest security patches and antivirus software.

In case of cyber fraud, victims should immediately disconnect mobile data or Wi-Fi, contact their bank to block transactions or cards, dial the cybercrime helpline 1930, lodge a complaint at www.cybercrime.gov.in, or approach the nearest Cyber Crime Police Station.