Man Loses ₹6 Lakh in Traffic Fine SMS Scam; Police Warn Against Digital Fraud

• A man lost nearly ₹6 lakh after falling victim to a traffic fine SMS scam, clicking a fake payment link for a ₹500 challan.
• Fraudsters used a website mimicking an official portal to gain access to his banking information, leading to multiple unauthorized transactions.
• Police warn against a growing trend of scams using SMS/WhatsApp with fake links that install malware or steal financial data.
• Authorities emphasize that legitimate traffic departments do not send direct payment links; payments must be made on verified government platforms.
• Citizens are advised to check fines only on official portals like Parivahan, manually enter vehicle details, and report suspicious messages to cybercrime helpline 1930.

Why It Matters: Always verify traffic challans on official government portals and never click suspicious payment links to avoid scams.