Bhubaneswar, Jan 8: As the Odisha government intensifies its crackdown on traffic violations, authorities have issued a warning against a surge in cyber fraud cases involving fake e-challans circulated by scammers.
The issue was raised during a meeting of transport secretaries and commissioners from all states and Union territories, held in New Delhi on Wednesday. The meeting was chaired by V Umashankar, Secretary to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.
Officials from several states reported that cybercriminals are exploiting the ongoing traffic enforcement drives by sending fraudulent e-challans to citizens, often accompanied by malicious APK files through WhatsApp and other messaging platforms.
“Many states informed the meeting that cybercriminals are targeting people by sending fake e-challans and APK files. In Odisha, we have received three such complaints recently and have lodged cases at the Cyber Police Station in Cuttack,” said Transport Commissioner-cum-Chairman of the State Transport Authority (STA), Amitabh Thakur.
He added that none of the complainants in these cases suffered any financial loss. In another instance, a citizen received a fake e-challan message claiming a fine of ₹2,200 for an alleged traffic violation, along with a suspicious payment link.
Thakur said the STA has been repeatedly cautioning the public to remain vigilant and not to click on unknown links or download files sent through unsolicited messages. He urged citizens to verify traffic challans only through official government portals or authorised apps.
Authorities have advised people to immediately report such incidents to the cyber police to prevent further misuse and to help curb the growing menace of digital fraud.
