In a sophisticated cybercrime incident, fraudsters have exploited the traffic police’s online challan system to swindle an employee of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The victim, residing in the MP Nagar area, lost approximately Rs 2.50 lakh after clicking on a fraudulent link sent under the guise of an unpaid traffic fine. Based on the victim’s complaint, the police have registered a case against an unidentified scammer and initiated an investigation.

 

According to the police, the victim, 33-year-old Gaurav Tripathi, a resident of Bawadia Kalan, Shahpura, is posted at the Reserve Bank of India office in M Nagar. On January 6, Gaurav received a text message on his mobile regarding a pending vehicle challan. The message cited a violation of traffic rules and urged him to pay the fine immediately via a link provided in the text. Mistaking it for an official communication, Gaurav clicked the link to settle the penalty.

 

The investigation revealed that as soon as Gaurav initiated the payment process through the fraudulent link, the scammers triggered an one-time password (OTP) to his mobile. Intending to complete the transaction, Gaurav entered the details, which allowed the fraudsters to gain unauthorised access to his bank account.

 

Within moments, approximately Rs 2.50 lakh was debited from his account in multiple installments. Realising he had been duped, Gaurav immediately alerted the authorities. The MP Nagar police, with the assistance of the Cyber Cell, have begun tracking the digital footprints of the transaction and the source of the fraudulent link. Preliminary findings suggest that the scammers used a “phishing” site designed to mimic the official transport department portal.