Chandigarh Police Busts Fake Traffic Challan SMS Racket, Arrests Two from Uttar Pradesh
In a significant crackdown on digital fraud, the Chandigarh cybercrime police have apprehended two individuals from Uttar Pradesh for allegedly orchestrating a sophisticated fake traffic challan SMS scam. The accused, identified as Shailendra Kumar from Rata and Mahendra Singh from Banda, were taken into custody following a meticulous investigation that exposed their illicit activities targeting unsuspecting citizens.
How the Fraudulent Operation Unfolded
The case came to light on January 13, when the Deputy Superintendent of Police (Traffic) filed a formal complaint reporting that numerous residents were receiving deceptive challan messages from multiple mobile numbers. These messages falsely claimed to be CCTV-generated traffic violations and included malicious payment links designed to dupe recipients into transferring money.
Upon verification, the Section 29 challan branch confirmed that no such official messages had been dispatched, prompting the cybercrime unit to launch an immediate probe. Utilizing advanced technical surveillance, a dedicated cyber cell team successfully traced the mobile numbers involved in the scam, leading them to Banda district in Uttar Pradesh.
Arrests and Revelations During Interrogation
Acting swiftly on the intelligence gathered, the police conducted a raid in Banda and arrested the two suspects. During subsequent questioning, the accused disclosed that they had studied only up to Class 10 and were lured into the criminal enterprise after receiving a WhatsApp message that promised them 15 paise per SMS sent.
They admitted to sending hundreds of fraudulent messages daily over the past four months, utilizing mobile numbers scraped from various public online sources. Furthermore, the investigation revealed that the duo was in direct communication with Pakistan-based cyber scammers, highlighting the transnational nature of the threat.
Ongoing Investigation and Broader Implications
The police have seized the mobile phones used by the accused to send the fake challan SMSes, which will be subjected to forensic analysis to uncover further evidence. Authorities are continuing their investigation to identify any additional accomplices and dismantle the entire network behind this scam.
This incident underscores the growing menace of cybercrime in India, particularly schemes that exploit public trust in official communications. Citizens are urged to remain vigilant and verify the authenticity of any unsolicited messages claiming to be from government agencies before taking any action.
