States » SouthPosted at: Nov 14 2026 6:08PM


Kerala Police alert public against fake traffic challan messages; warn of online fraud

Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 14 (UNI) Kerala Police have issued a warning against a growing cyber fraud in which criminals send fake traffic violation messages, impersonating the Motor Vehicles Department, to trick vehicle owners into parting with their financial details.
The fraudulent SMS messages claim that a traffic violation has been captured by a CCTV camera and direct recipients to pay the penalty by clicking on an embedded link. To make the messages appear genuine, fraudsters often include the recipients' actual vehicle registration numbers along with fabricated reference numbers and shortened web links.
Police said the links redirect users to fake websites designed to resemble the official Motor Vehicles Department portal. These websites seek confidential information, including bank account details, debit and credit card numbers, CVV and OTPs, under the pretext of processing fine payments.
Once such information is shared, fraudsters can use it to gain access to financial accounts and siphon off money.
Warning motorists not to fall for such tactics, police advised the public against clicking on payment links received through unsolicited SMS messages. Vehicle owners should instead verify pending traffic fines directly through the official Parivahan or e-Challan websites.
People should never disclose their banking credentials, card details or OTPs to anyone. Suspicious messages and links should neither be opened nor forwarded to others.
Those who suffer financial losses through such online fraud should immediately contact the cybercrime helpline 1930 or lodge a complaint through the official portal https://cybercrime.gov.in, https://cybercrime.gov.in?utm_source=chatgpt.com, police added.
UNI DS
Tags: #Kerala Police alert public against fake traffic challan messages; warn of online fraud
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