Hyderabad cyber crime police warn against fake e-challan payment links
Hyderabad: The Hyderabad City Cyber Crime Police on Wednesday warned citizens about a surge in cyber fraud involving fake e-challan links circulated through SMS and WhatsApp.
Police said cyber fraudsters were sending deceptive messages claiming that traffic challans were pending against vehicles. The messages pressured recipients to make immediate payments through the attached links. Officers said the fraudsters designed these links to closely resemble official government websites. As a result, many users mistook them for genuine portals.
Cyber crime officials said users who clicked the links were prompted to enter their vehicle registration numbers. The system then displayed a challan amount to appear authentic. When victims attempted payment, fraudsters gained access to banking data or installed malicious software on their mobile phones.
Fake e-challan links trigger malware attacks and financial losses
Police said victims later noticed unauthorised transactions from their bank accounts. In several cases, malware compromised mobile phones during the payment process. Officials said such attacks could lead to identity theft and loss of personal data.
The cyber crime police urged the public to avoid clicking unknown links received through messages or social media. They advised citizens to verify traffic challans only on official government portals or authorised applications. Police also asked victims to immediately report suspicious links or financial fraud for swift action.
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