The Aryavarth Express New Delhi: A surge in phishing scams involving fake “e-challan” SMS messages has prompted a fresh alert from the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre(I4C) under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
According to officials, victims receive SMS messages claiming a traffic e-challan has been issued against their vehicle, urging immediate payment to avoid penalties. The message typically contains a link that redirects users to a fraudulent website designed to mimic the official Parivahan portal of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
Cyber experts warn that once users enter details such as vehicle number, mobile number, OTP, or banking information on these fake sites, the data is harvested by cybercriminals. This often results in unauthorized transactions or misuse of financial credentials.
I4C has flagged a rise in such SMS-based phishing campaigns, particularly in urban areas where digital traffic enforcement systems are common. Fraudsters exploit public familiarity with genuine e-challan systems to create urgency, often threatening heavy fines or legal consequences.
Authorities clarified that legitimate e-challans are issued only through authorised government platforms. Citizens are advised to verify notices directly via official state traffic police websites or the Parivahan portal and avoid clicking on suspicious links. They should never share OTPs or disclose banking details on unverified websites.
The agency has urged victims to immediately report such incidents through the national cybercrime helpline (1930) or the official cybercrime reporting portal to minimise financial loss.
In a related crackdown, the Ministry of Home Affairs recently geo-blocked servers linked to the ‘Wingo’ app network, describing it as a “telecom mule as a service” platform that paid users for SMS-based tasks. Authorities also blocked multiple Telegram channels and YouTube videos promoting the app.
I4C cautioned citizens against downloading or using suspicious apps that circulate fraudulent SMS links, especially Android users, and reiterated that a single click on a fake e-challan link can trigger a chain of digital fraud.
The I4C functions as the central nodal agency for tackling cybercrime in India, coordinating with state and Union Territory law enforcement agencies, telecom providers, and technology platforms to block phishing domains, malicious apps, and illegal digital infrastructure used by cybercriminals.
