Online e-challan scams see a huge spike on the Diwali weekend. Here’s how to spot one – Firstpost

As Diwali festivities light up homes and streets, a less welcome trend has emerged: a rise in online e-challan scams. The Indian government and cybersecurity experts are warning the public to be wary of these scams that subtly mimic official traffic violation notifications.

How do e-challan scams work?
These scams can be difficult to detect because they often closely mimic legitimate messages. Fraudsters send SMS or messages through the ‘eChallan Parivahan’ portal established by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, claiming that the recipient must urgently pay the traffic fine. Launched in 2012 and rolled out nationwide in 2017, this portal helps users track and pay traffic violation fines online.

The scam works by encouraging users to click on a link within the fake message. This link redirects them to a fake website that looks almost identical to the official portal, with realistic logos and an interface that mirrors the original site. Once users enter their payment details, cybercriminals can withdraw their money or even access their bank accounts.

The ease with which these scams blend with legitimate communications makes them particularly dangerous. Last year, Pune city traffic branch and other authorities had advised the public to verify payment links carefully. In one notable case, a person in Jharkhand was arrested by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch for duping vehicle owners with these fake e-challan links and stealing a significant amount of money.

How can you detect and prevent e-challan scams?
Cybersecurity officials stress the importance of checking the authenticity of any payment link. A major red flag is the web address itself. While genuine e-challan notifications redirect users to echallan.parivahan.gov.in, fake versions often remove the “.gov” and present themselves as echallan.parivahan.in. This subtle change can trick users into believing they are on the legitimate site.

Another quick way to verify the authenticity of a site is to look for ‘https’ at the beginning of the web address. Legitimate government websites always start with ‘https’, indicating a secure connection. If the link starts with ‘http’ without the ‘s’, it is most likely a scam. To avoid falling into these traps, experts recommend going directly to the official e-challan website instead of clicking on any links embedded in the messages.

be one step ahead
The rise in e-challan scams during festive times like Diwali is a reminder to be careful when dealing with online payments. Cybercrime officers stress the importance of not reacting hastily to these messages or making payments immediately. Genuine e-challan notifications contain basic vehicle details such as engine and chassis numbers, making it easy to distinguish them from fake notifications.

Being careful is your best defense. If you need to pay a traffic fine, skip the text links and go directly to echallan.parivahan.gov.in to ensure your safety.