Beware of cyber fraudsters posing as traffic police officers, say BTP

Since callers are able to tell the vehicle number, people tend to fall for it, police said.
| Photo Credit: file photo

Cyber fraudsters have adopted a new modus operandi, posing as Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP) officials and falsely claiming that a person’s vehicle has multiple traffic violation cases. These fraudsters send malicious links or QR codes, urging victims to pay the long-pending fines immediately to avoid alleged legal trouble.

Concerned about the increasing number of complaints, BTP issued a clarification on Thursday (November 21), stating they never make such calls or send messages demanding fine payments.

Confidence trick

Since callers are able to tell the vehicle number, people tend to fall for it, sources said. Some people have also got messages claiming to have footage of traffic violations.

Several people have got calls claiming to be from BTP and that their vehicle was involved in a hit-and-run case. The call would then be transferred to a fake police officer, who would ask for bank details to verify identity. Once this personal information is shared, the fraudsters access bank accounts and syphon off money. In some instances, Interactive Voice Response Systems calls are also being made to make it look credible.

Ignore such calls

M.N. Anucheth, Joint Commissioner (Traffic), Bengaluru, advised people not to entertain any such calls or messages. “We never call individuals to inform them of cases against their vehicles or demand payment of fines online,” he said. People should pay fines only online through the official portals of the State government, he said.

People who receive such calls should register complaints on our official website or helpline numbers 080-22868550 or 22868444 or email it to the officials concerned, a statement from BTP said.