Now Reading: Kerala Police warn of fake traffic violation SMS scam
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Kerala Police warn of fake traffic violation SMS scam
The Story in Brief
Kerala Police have warned the public about a new scam in which fraudsters send fake SMS messages that appear to be genuine traffic violation alerts from the Motor Vehicles Department. A 41-year-old man from Kondotty lost Rs 3,89,496 after clicking a link in such a message and entering his bank details on a counterfeit website resembling the Parivahan Sewa Portal.
The victim, Jamsheed, received the SMS on 8 November claiming a traffic violation had been recorded against his vehicle. After he followed the link and paid the alleged fine, the money was withdrawn from his bank account in 10 separate transactions via a UPI application. A case was registered on 12 November under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Information Technology Act. Police have identified the receiving bank accounts and issued instructions to freeze them.
A separate complaint from Wayanad involves a loss of Rs 2.165 lakh in a similar fraud. Police have urged vehicle owners to verify traffic fine notices through official Parivahan or e-Challan websites and never to share banking credentials, card details or OTPs via links in unsolicited messages. Victims can call the national cybercrime helpline 1930 or file a complaint at cybercrime.gov.in.
Indian Opinion Analysis
The Kerala Police warning exposes how fraudsters exploit the public’s familiarity with official traffic enforcement systems. Victims lose money within minutes of entering bank details on a fake portal, and the scammers use UPI to drain accounts quickly. Police have frozen some accounts, but recovery depends on how fast the helpline or portal is used. The case also shows that fraudsters already have access to vehicle registration data, which they use to make messages appear credible. With multiple complaints already filed, more victims may emerge as awareness spreads.
Source: thesouthfirst.com
This brief was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Methodology and corrections.
