Common Scams 
What is the Fake Traffic Challan Scam?
Scammers are exploiting legal procedures by issuing fake traffic challans. Thinking that they have to pay a fine, people are fooled into giving scammers their money.
A young man who had bought his first car got a message. It said that a challan had been issued to him for speeding. An honest law-abiding citizen, he did not want to get himself into any kind of trouble and decided to follow the instructions provided.
The message he received stated that the challan has been created for breaking the speed limit and he would have to pay ₹2,000 to clear it. He was instructed to click on the link for payment. He did this and paid the amount. When he told his brother the next day, he was shocked to discover that he had fallen for a fraud.
Another man went through much worse with this scam. He too received a message stating that he incurred a challan. In his case he was directed to download an app to pay it. Upon entering his details his bank account was hacked and completely emptied.
The fake challan scam is one that has grown in prominence in India. Since it seems so genuine, people often fall for it. Through this article, you will understand the fake challan scam in detail and how to save yourself from it.
What is the Fake Challan Scam
A challan is a fine imposed by the police for traffic violations. It can be issued both offline as well as online. Common reasons include over speeding, driving on the wrong side of the road, and taking a wrong turn. Due to advanced digital infrastructure, CCTV cameras can capture a vehicle number plate, and the associated phone number is sent an e-challan.
The process is meant to making things smooth and seamless. However, criminals with their mind on fraud exploit it ruthlessly.
Online fraudsters impersonate police officials and send challan messages to people. Thinking that it is real, they often comply. The message either contains a link or an APK file to download. Clicking on either of them leads to a direct payment portal or a page where details must be entered.
The scam can end in two ways. Either the person pays the determined amount, around ₹2,000 or their phone ends up hacked and they lose all the money in their accounts.
Also Read:5 Critical Steps to Protect Yourself from ‘Digital Arrest’ Scams
Signs to Look Out For
• Message comes on WhatsApp. Scammers often send challan messages to unsuspecting people on WhatsApp. People who are not aware believe it and fall victim to this fraud. However, e-challans are never sent through WhatsApp. They are only sent through either SMS or email. Any challan which is sent on other platform is a guaranteed fraud.
• Message comes from a personal number. The SMS for a traffic challan will never come from a personal number. It also cannot be replied to. If you see the SMS come from a regular number and you can reply, it is fake and should be deleted immediately.
• Link looks strange. Fraudulent links always look off upon careful examination. They tend to have random sequences of letters of numbers and do not look coherent. Challan scams are no exception to this. The URL in the message will often look strange and not like that of a legitimate website.
• APK file in the message. Many of the challan messages contain APK files to download for the payment. APK files in general must never be downloaded as they are not legally verified and often used for malicious purposes. APKs are also used for fraudulent loan apps as well, so having them sent it to you is never for a good purpose, irrespective of wherever they come from.
Online challans are often issued for traffic violations. However, they will only come from verified handles and be sent to you through either SMS or email. Any challan which comes from random phone numbers or email IDs are a scam. Always take a few minutes to verify any message you may get. Do not be in a hurry to pay. Doing so can help prevent you from being a victim to a fraud.
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