A link came in the sms and then 6 lakh rupees were deducted from the account…? This may sound like a story script but it is a true story. Fraudsters keep coming up with new tricks to steal money from your account, now recently a person made a small mistake that cost him 6 lakh rupees. Actually, this person received a fake message to pay traffic challan of Rs 500 and this message itself created the whole story.
How did the game go?
First of all, fraudsters send fake links that say your traffic challan has been issued. A link is also provided along with this message, many people believe this link to be real and make the mistake of clicking on this link.
When the man tried to enter payment details to top up the challan, the fraudsters obtained the man’s phone and banking information. After this, the fraudsters made transactions from the man’s account and police said the fraudsters stole around Rs 6 lakh from the account.
Cybercrime officials said such scams are mostly perpetrated through fake websites like government portals. These links can also install harmful software on the phone, allowing fraudsters to take control of the phone and delete your account. Don’t trust links received through text messages, emails or WhatsApp, he said, stressing that traffic departments do not send direct payment links for currency.
How to avoid?
- Pay the challan through Parivahan website or State Traffic Police site. Check the challan by manually entering the vehicle number instead of clicking on the link.
- Do not make the mistake of entering card details, PIN or OTP by clicking on any unknown link.
- Don’t make the mistake of downloading or installing the app from any link or APK instead of the official store.