Citizens have been urged to not click on links they receive through a text message.
Amid a rise in cybercrime, Faridabad police have warned citizens to beware of the new fake e-challan scam. According to the police. fraudsters are scamming citizens “by sending links of e-challan” and by creating exact copies of government websites.
Faridabad Police has urged citizens to not click on any links they receive in the name of e-challan. The authorities added that fraudsters can hack into your bank account with just one click on these fake links.
“If you receive a link for a traffic challan, don't click these links. By clicking upon these links for payment, fraudsters can hack your bank account,” read the text attached to an infographic. The police have also differentiated between the original link of the e-challan and the fake one.
“Cyber frauds are now making people their victims by using the growing trend of e-challan payment as a weapon,” DCP Hemendra Kumar Meena was quoted as saying.
Urging citizens to not click any type of links they receive through a text message, DCP Meena informed that the fraud messages are created in such a manner that it will conclude with a link. “You have been issued a challan. You can pay your fine by clicking on this link,” she said.
The authorities notified citizens about how they could differentiate between the original and the fake message. The statement informed that an original challan message will include “engine number, vehicle identification number (VIN) and other information about your vehicle.”
In addition, the official challan message will end with a government link: https://echallan.parivahan.gov.in/.
However, the fake messages are being concluded with a link that doesn't include .gov.in at the end. The fake e-challan message will have links like https://echallan.parivahan.in/.
Faridabad police added that as soon as any vehicle owner clicks on the link and enters bank account number and card details, fraudsters first hack the person's phone and after some time they clear out the entire balance available in the account.
Police spokesperson Sube Singh said, “If you have been a victim of any online fraud, immediately call the National Cyber Complaint Portal number 1930 and register an online complaint at www.cybercrime.gov.in.”
He added that as soon as the victim files a complaint, the authorities stop the transaction of money from your account. Apart from this victims can also go to the nearest cyber police station, cyber help desk or a police station.