Published Nov 14, 2026 | 3:05 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 14, 2026 | 3:05 PM
Cybercrime. Representative Image. (iStock)
A 41-year-old man from Kondotty gets an SMS on his phone regarding a traffic rule violation, along with a link to a website that closely resembles the official Parivahan Sewa Portal. He clicks the link, makes the payment, and later discovers that over Rs 3 lakh has been lost from his bank account.
The Kerala Police has warned the public of a new scam involving such fake messages sent to vehicle owners about traffic violations and penalties.
According to Jamsheed, a resident of Nambolankunnu in Kondotty, the SMS he received on November 8 claimed that a traffic violation had been recorded against his vehicle and that a fine was pending. It also carried a reference number and a link. When he opened the link, he was redirected to a website resembling the Parivahan portal and asked for the registration number of his vehicle and bank details to pay the fine.
He entered the numbers and later discovered that he had lost money from his bank account. According to police, Rs 3,89,496 was withdrawn from Jamsheed’s bank account in 10 separate transactions through a UPI application.
Jamsheed found out about the fraud when he checked his account balance. He subsequently approached the police and a case was registered on November 12. The case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology Act.
Police said they had identified the bank accounts into which the stolen money was transferred and issued instructions to freeze them.
Investigators have also received complaints from other people who allegedly lost smaller amounts after responding to similar messages about traffic rule violations.
A person from Wayanad has complained of losing Rs 2.165 lakh to a similar fraud. The Wayanad Cyber Police has begun an inquiry into this.
Kerala Police have cautioned that fraudsters are circulating SMS messages designed to look like genuine alerts from the Motor Vehicles Department. Some of these messages even carry the recipient’s actual vehicle registration number and claim that a traffic offence has been captured by a surveillance camera.
The messages typically ask vehicle owners to settle the alleged penalty by following a link.
The reference numbers and shortened web addresses are intended to make the alerts appear authentic.
However, the links lead to counterfeit websites made to resemble official government portals.
Users may then be asked to provide personal and financial information, including bank account details, debit or credit card numbers, CVV details and one-time passwords, under the pretext of completing the payment.
Sharing such information can allow fraudsters to access accounts and make unauthorised transactions.
Police have urged vehicle owners not to make payments through links received in unsolicited SMS messages, even if the messages contain accurate vehicle details or appear to come from an official department.
Anyone who receives a traffic fine notification should independently check its authenticity through the official Parivahan or e-Challan websites rather than following the link in the message. People should never disclose their banking credentials, card details or OTPs on unfamiliar websites or to unknown callers, police said.
The public has also been advised not to open or circulate suspicious links.
Those who lose money in online financial fraud should act immediately by calling the national cybercrime helpline 1930 or filing a complaint through the official portal, https://cybercrime.gov.in, as it will help the authorities trace transactions and take steps to freeze the accounts receiving the money.
(Edited by Fayisa CA)
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