Delhi Cyber Scam: Senior Citizen Loses ₹2.5 Lakh in Fake Traffic Challan Fraud

New Delhi: In a cautionary incident highlighting the rising cybercrime threat, a senior citizen in East Delhi was defrauded of ₹2.5 lakh after attempting to pay a traffic challan online. Cybercriminals sent a fraudulent link disguised as an official payment portal, which the victim accessed, resulting in the transfer of the money—including foreign currency—to the scammers.

The 65-year-old man from Laxmi Nagar received a message on January 13 on his wife’s phone with a link to pay a minor traffic fine of ₹500. Believing it to be legitimate, they proceeded with the payment. Within minutes, ₹2,49,246.61 was debited from their account. Authorities have registered a case under fraud and identity concealment laws.

Police warn that such scams have surged, with fraudsters posing as officials from the Transport Ministry or Delhi Traffic Police. Links sent via SMS, WhatsApp, PDF, or QR codes often lead to fake payment gateways designed to steal bank and card information.

Safety Measures to Avoid Cyber Frauds:

• Make payments only through official portals.
• Use the official Delhi Traffic Police WhatsApp chatbot: +91 8007103020.
• Verify the website URL before entering any information.
• Independently check challan details using your vehicle or license number.
• Never share OTP, bank details, card number, or CVV.
• Avoid clicking on links or scanning QR codes sent via SMS or WhatsApp.
• Do not use third-party apps or agents for payment.

Police emphasize the first 60 minutes after a potential fraud as the “golden hour” to report the incident, increasing chances of recovery or account blocking. Victims are advised to immediately contact the National Cyber Crime Helpline at 1930, file a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in, and inform their bank to block accounts.