Delhi Man Loses Rs 4 Lakh After Clicking On Fake Challan Link | How The Scam Works

Last Updated:February 03, 2026, 15:40 IST

A man lost over Rs 4 lakh after clicking a fake traffic challan link on WhatsApp. Here’s how the scam works and how you can stay safe

Believing the message to be genuine, the man clicked the link to pay the challan, downloaded the prompted application, but no challan details appeared after installation. (AI Generated)

A man in Delhi reportedly lost over Rs 4 lakh after falling prey to a fake traffic challan message sent via WhatsApp. The incident once again highlights how cyber criminals misuse official-sounding language and trusted government names to deceive people.

How The Scam Began

According to a report by The Times of India, the victim received a WhatsApp message claiming he had an unpaid traffic challan of Rs 1,000.

The message was sent under the name ‘NextGen mParivahan’ and used transport department terminology, making it appear like an authentic government notice.

The Dangerous Link

The message included a link asking the recipient to click and pay the challan. Believing it to be genuine, the man clicked the link and was prompted to download an application. After installing it, no challan details appeared on the screen.

At around 2:59 pm, the victim received an email alert stating that the password to his Amazon e-wallet had been changed. Soon after, his email ID was also altered.

Within minutes, he began receiving multiple SMS alerts showing credit card transactions from different banks.

How Criminals Stole The Money

Police revealed that the cyber criminals accessed the victim’s saved credit card details and used them to purchase e-gift cards from online platforms. These gift cards were sent directly to the fraudsters’ email IDs, making recovery extremely difficult. In total, the victim suffered a loss of approximately Rs 4.05 lakh.

Officials say this is not a single case. Several people have recently been targeted through fake traffic challan messages sent via WhatsApp and SMS.

As some genuine government alerts are now shared on WhatsApp, scammers are exploiting this growing trust.

How To Stay Safe

• Police advise citizens to verify traffic challans only through the official Parivahan website.
• Avoid clicking on unknown links, QR codes, or messages demanding immediate payment.
• If a message creates panic or urgency, pause, verify the information, and take action only after confirming its authenticity.

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