The Punjab government has issued an immediate public alert about an increased fake e-challan SMS scam targeting the people of the province of Punjab. The Punjab Safe Cities Authority (PSCA) said that fraudsters are targeting people with fake traffic messages from unauthentic numbers asking them to pay or provide financial details.
The police have stated that people should be warned to be vigilant as they should check all e-challan notifications before sending any text or payment requests.
Fake E-Challan Messages Being Sent from Unauthorized Number
The officials disclosed that fake e-challan Alerts are being issued by scammers under the number 8070. These fake emails seem to be from a government, and they often urge people to pay fake fines right away.
The Punjab Safe Cities Authority said the official e-challan notification is issued on the government’s official number 9915 and other numbers do not have official status. The messages received from other numbers should be considered suspicious.
Authorities Warn Against Sharing Financial Information
The spokesperson of Safe City said that Safe City authorities never ask for ATM PIN, debit/credit card number or bank account information or cash transfer through SMS.
Citizens were advised against clicking on links in letters claiming to be from the Home Office or the police that could lead to the entry into a fraudulent website that could steal personal or financial information.
Law enforcement officials said they were urging the public not to answer calls from unfamiliar phone numbers claiming to be from the traffic police or government agencies and not to be verified.
How to Identify an Official E-Challan Message
According to the authorities, the actual e-challan notifications usually include all the details of the traffic violations, such as:
- Date and time of the violation
- Exact location of the incident
- Nature of the traffic offense
- Vehicle information
- Official payment instructions
Fake messages, on the other hand, might have a missing or incorrect information, include links that seem suspicious, have misspelled words, or ask for urgent payment.
Citizens Urged to Report Suspicious Activity
Punjab Safe Cities Authority has asked people to report any suspicious messages as it could lead to further fraud attempts. Complaints can be made by citizens via:
- Emergency Helpline 15
- FIA Cyber Crime Wing
Public collaboration is crucial in assisting authorities to trace scammers and keep citizens safe from online fraud, officials said.
Increase in Digital Fraud Cases
Digital scams based on fake government notifications, banking alerts and online payment requests have been on the rise, noted cybersecurity experts. Public trust in digital services is being abused by fraudsters to extract money and sensitive information.
Authorities are also continuing education campaigns to alert citizens to online scams and security measures.
Public Advised to Stay Alert
Residents are advised to check all e-challan notices with official channels from the government before paying them. Officials also urged citizens to not give out their OTP codes, banking information or identities to strangers on the phone or on websites.
The Punjab government announced that it will take action severely against the perpetrators of cyber fraud and fake e-challan scam.
