Scammers resurface with fake e-challan in MVD’s name

Alleged fake traffic violation alerts by scammers have once again triggered mobile-based fraud, with several smartphone users in Kozhikode losing between ₹500 and ₹1000 in the name of compounding various traffic offences.

Motor Vehicles department (MVD) officials say that a malicious application in the form of android package kit (SPK) file is being circulated to operate the fraud, which can also tap personal information and sensitive data stored in smartphones.

The alleged fraud is being committed through WhatsApp messages that resemble official e-challan notifications of the MVD. The messages prompt recipients to download an android application reportedly related to ‘RTO challan’ or ‘e-challan’ verification. Once installed, the application secretly gains access to the mobile device and files.

According to cybersecurity specialists, the malicious application is designed to operate in different stages, allowing it to remain hidden while accessing sensitive data on the phone. It is suspected of gathering personal and device-related data, including message details, phone numbers, and text messages. In several cases, one-time passwords have also been found intercepted without the user’s knowledge, enabling unauthorised financial transactions.

“The fraud application has also been found displaying a fake payment interface, asking users to pay a particular amount for verification. People who enter their banking or UPI details at this stage unknowingly grant access to their accounts, allowing third parties to withdraw money in real time,” says an MVD official. He reveals that remote servers are being used to transmit stolen data with the involvement of an organised fraudsters’ network from different regions.

In the wake of rising complaints, MVD enforcement squads have urged the public to verify the authenticity of suspicious e-challans after visiting the official Parivahan website. Any payment related to traffic violations should be made through the official payment gateway without depending on third-party applications, they remind.

Police officials say that there are even complainants who have lost over ₹40,000 from their accounts. Vehicle owners should be aware of the fact that no enforcement wings will send the generated e-challan through WhatsApp, though automatically generated SMS may be sent to the linked phone, they say, adding that proper awareness about safe smartphone use alone can prevent such loss.