Pune, 24 March 2026: Car owners travelling on the Pune–Mumbai Expressway are being urged to remain cautious after a suspicious incident near Lonavala has raised concerns about a new type of roadside scam.
The incident involved a man who had recently purchased a used car through Cars24 and was travelling on the highway. Near Lonavala, two unidentified men on a motorcycle allegedly began following his vehicle for several kilometres before forcing him to stop at a relatively isolated stretch.
Once the car was halted, the suspects approached the driver and falsely claimed that the vehicle had an outstanding loan of ₹10 lakh from ICICI Bank. They reportedly tried to pressure him into complying with their demands, creating a tense situation.
Sensing foul play, the driver chose not to step out of the vehicle. Instead, he locked himself inside, kept the windows shut, and immediately contacted the police.
“I realized something was wrong, so I stayed inside the car and called the police without engaging with them,” the driver said.
On learning that the police had been alerted, the suspects fled the scene. A subsequent verification confirmed that there was no loan pending on the vehicle, exposing the claim as fraudulent.
Experts believe this could be a new form of intimidation-based scam targeting motorists, especially those driving recently purchased vehicles. Authorities have advised travellers to avoid stopping in secluded areas, not to engage with strangers making financial claims, and to verify any such information only through official channels.