Bengaluru engineer loses over Rs 2.6 lakh in traffic fine scam
The victim, Murali Mohan, clicked on a malicious APK link sent via WhatsApp after checking his dues on a government site, leading to unauthorised transactions
A middle-aged engineer in Bengaluru received the shock of his life this week when he lost more than Rs 2.6 lakh by clicking on a suspicious link while trying to pay traffic fines online. He later approached officers at the city’s Kodigehalli Police Station seeking help to recover his money.
The police registered an FIR based on the complaint against unknown persons for further probe.
Malicious link
According to the complaint, 50-year-old Murali Mohan, a resident of Telecom Layout, visited the government website to check whether there was any penalty due against his vehicle. He said he received an APK file link a few minutes later from an unknown number on WhatsApp, instructing him to click it to clear his dues. As soon as the unsuspecting Mohan clicked on it, his phone was hacked and Rs 2,65,979 vanished from his account through unauthorised transactions.
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While online fraud is not new, Mohan’s case has raised particular concerns about someone getting duped by an APK file link while he checked the penalty for traffic violations on the government website.
Cops urge people to be aware
The police have urged people not to click on any APK files as they are often used to hack phones. It has been a common modus operandi of cyber fraudsters looking to trick people.
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They have also reminded the public that traffic fines should only be paid through official platforms such as the Karnataka State Police (KSP) app, BTP ASTraM app (Bengaluru Traffic Division), Karnataka One or Bangalore One websites, or by directly visiting the traffic police stations and traffic management centres, and that third-party links should be avoided.
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The law-keepers also cautioned that online fraudsters could be more active now since many people are trying to pay their dues under the 50-per-cent rebate plan announced by Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) last week.
Bengaluru traffic fine discount
On August 21, the city traffic police authorities announced the discount plan on pending traffic fines. The discount, which came into force on August 23, can be availed of till September 12. It will apply only to cases with e-challans. The fines can either be paid on the traffic police website (https://btp.gov.in/), the KSP/BTP ASTraM app, or at the nearest traffic police station or the Traffic Management Centre on Infantry Road. They can also be paid at Karnataka One or Bangalore One centres.
In 2023, the BTP gave a similar discount on pending traffic fines, and thousands of traffic offenders responded to pay up.