Cyber crooks have devised a new method to scam people in Bhopal and across the state by sending fake SMSs about traffic rule violations. These messages, which appear to be from the Bhopal traffic police department under the name Parivahan, include a link to pay the fine. However, once the link is clicked and payment is attempted, money from the victim's bank account is wiped out.
Recent Scams
Sources from the Bhopal cyber crime cell revealed that from March 2024 to June 15, 250 people have fallen prey to this scam, with 92 individuals losing a total of Rs 80,000. Despite nearly 300 complaints being lodged, no FIR has been registered yet.
Identifying Fake E-Challans
When an authentic ITMS-generated e-challan is issued by the traffic police department, it includes a link that directly displays the challan details. Conversely, fake e-challan SMSs request additional information, such as the chassis number or registration number. An error message often appears after entering this information, indicating the SMS is not from an authentic source.
Official Payment Methods
Rajkumar, the charge of the e-challans department at Bhopal traffic police, advises that people should only pay ITMS challans through the official Bhopal traffic police website or at the traffic police office. Using unauthorized apps for payment can lead to fraud.
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