Mangaluru City Police Issues Advisory Against Fake E-Challan Messages; Public Loses ₹44 Lakh in Cyber Frauds
Mangaluru: Mangaluru City Police have issued a public advisory warning citizens against cyber fraudsters who send fake links and APK files to mobile phones, claiming to collect traffic e-challan fines for traffic violations.
According to the police, such fraudulent messages are being used to cheat unsuspecting members of the public. During the current year, a total of eight cases of e-challan-related cyber fraud have been registered at various police stations in Mangaluru City alone, with victims collectively losing approximately ₹44 lakh.
The police have urged the public to remain vigilant and verify the authenticity of any traffic violation notice before making payments. Vehicle owners are advised to check whether any traffic violation has actually been registered against their vehicles through the official e-challan website.
To prevent people from falling victim to such frauds, Mangaluru City Police have issued the following precautionary guidelines:
DO’s – Precautionary Measures
Check whether any e-challan is pending against your vehicle only through the official website: https://echallan.parivahan.nic.in. Make payments only through the official portal.
If you have any doubts about an e-challan SMS or WhatsApp message received on your mobile phone, visit the nearest Traffic Police Station in Mangaluru City or contact the Traffic Police officials to verify its authenticity.
If an e-challan notice is received by post, pay the fine through the official Mangalore One or Karnataka One website or mobile application, or by personally visiting the nearest Traffic Police Station.
DON’Ts – Precautionary Measures to Avoid
Never download or install APK files received on your mobile phone from unknown sources.
Do not click on links received from unknown numbers or suspicious sources.
Never share your bank account details, ATM/debit/credit card information, OTPs or any other personal information through unknown links claiming to facilitate e-challan fine payments.
Beware of fake websites designed to resemble official government portals. Do not assume that a website is genuine merely because its URL begins with https://.
Mangaluru City Police have urged the public to strictly follow these precautionary measures to avoid falling victim to cyber fraud.
Anyone having doubts about e-challan payment messages received on their mobile phones may contact Mangaluru City Police at 0824-2220823 for verification.
