SHILLONG: East Khasi Hills police have issued an advisory cautioning citizens about fake e-challan messages sent by cybercriminals claiming traffic violations and demanding immediate payments.
Regarding safety guidelines, police urged citizens not to click on links received through SMS, WhatsApp or email claiming e-challans and to verify challans only through the official Ministry of Road Transport and Highways website at https://parivahan.gov.in.
Citizens have been advised to check the sender, as official challans are sent from verified government IDs and not from personal numbers. The advisory cautioned people never to share OTPs, CVV numbers, PINs, Aadhaar details, bank details or personal information, to avoid payments through QR codes or unknown links or sources, and to install apps only from official app stores while keeping phones updated with the latest security patches and antivirus software.
On receiving a fake e-challan message, citizens have been asked to ignore and delete the message and not to forward it. They have been advised to report the fraud to the Cyber Crime Helpline number 1930 or the website www.cybercrime.gov.in, and to verify with local traffic police if necessary.
If anyone has clicked on the link or made a payment, they have been urged to immediately block their bank account, card or UPI, contact bank customer care, and file a complaint on www.cybercrime.gov.in with transaction details to freeze accounts or recover money.
The advisory also stated that government authorities never ask for urgent payments or sensitive details through random links.