With the festival season in full swing, it seems scamsters are trying to cash in on the festivities. The latest con job is the e-challan scam, which is giving many a reason to lose sleep.
Here’s how it works. You’ll get an urgent SMS that looks like it came straight from the traffic police, complete with official-looking logos. The message will inform you that you have unpaid traffic fines and you need to pay up— now. Panic sets in faster than you can say “I didn’t even park there” and before you know it, you’re clicking on a link that promises to solve all your problems. Welcome to Fraudsville.
The website will look just like the official traffic authority site, except for a few sneaky details. It’ll ask for all sorts of personal info—your bank account number, Aadhaar card number, credit card info.
E-challan scam notification (Image: TamalBandyo/Twitter)
The Central Government has issued a warning, saying, avoid clicking on any suspicious links. So remember, if a traffic challan looks fishy, it probably is. Keep your bank details to yourself. Following are the original and the fake Parivahan links.
Original Parivahan linkFake Parivahan linkhttps://echallan.parivahan.gov.in/https://echallanparivahan.in/
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How to avoid e-challan scams
Here are some tips to keep in mind when you receive phishing messages:
- Stay Calm: No e-challan is worth losing sleep over. If you get a message saying “pay immediately or else…”, take a deep breath. It’s probably best to search for the official website yourself instead of clicking on the link provided.
- Check for Fines Easily: You can quickly find out if you have any outstanding traffic fines by visiting the Parivahan official website or going directly to https://echallan.parivahan.gov.in/index/accused-challan. Just enter your vehicle number or driver’s license number, and you’ll receive an OTP on your registered mobile. From there, you can log in and check your entire challan history, including any pending fines.
- Know the Official URLs: Legitimate e-challan and traffic authority websites will end with ‘gov.in’, not just ‘.in’.
- Stay Vigilant: Always be cautious if a message asks for payment details, Aadhaar card numbers, or credit/debit card info. Verify the websites or mobile apps before sharing any personal information.
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