A new cyber scam targeting vehicle owners has surfaced in Chennai’s suburbs, with a 28-year-old man from Perumbakkam losing ₹12,600 after falling for a fake traffic police message. The fraud, designed to mimic official traffic challans, has raised alarm among residents.
Senthil, a resident of Ezhil Nagar, received an SMS on Wednesday claiming to be from the Traffic Police. It cited his two-wheeler’s registration number and indicated a pending fine. Just two days earlier, his wife and brother-in-law had used his vehicle — making the message seem credible.
Trusting the source, Senthil clicked on the link in the message to check the fine amount. Immediately, his phone froze. Moments later, an OTP was received and ₹12,600 was siphoned off from his bank account.
Shocked by the sudden loss, Senthil called the Cyber Crime helpline (1930) and reported the incident at the Perumbakkam police station.
Cybercrime officials say fraudsters are now sending SMSes nearly identical to those from official e-challan systems. Victims who click the link are either redirected to phishing sites or unknowingly download malware, giving hackers access to banking credentials.
This scam plays on the authority and urgency associated with police fines, making it particularly deceptive and effective.
Police urge citizens to avoid clicking unknown links and to verify fines only through the official Tamil Nadu e-challan portal or mParivahan app.