Pune, 4th November 2025: A fake RTO challan scam has been rapidly circulating on WhatsApp, misleading users into believing it is an official message from the Regional Transport Office (RTO). The message contains a malicious APK file disguised as a “Traffic Fine” or “RTO Challan,” which, once downloaded, can compromise the user’s phone or even lead to their WhatsApp number being banned.
Raising awareness about the growing threat, Pune City Traffic Police issued a warning on X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday. The police stated that cybercriminals are posing as traffic officials and sending fake challans to unsuspecting users, urging them to verify before making any payments. They advised citizens to trust only official government links while making payments related to traffic fines.
The police highlighted several warning signs of the scam, WhatsApp messages from unknown numbers, links not ending with .gov.in or parivahan.gov.in, and payment requests from UPI handles like @okaxis or @paytm. Such messages, officials said, should be treated with extreme caution.
Authorities further urged citizens not to click on unknown links or install unverified apps, and never to transfer money via personal UPI IDs. They also advised people to inform friends and family about these scams to prevent further victims.
If someone has already fallen to such a scam, they should immediately call 1930 or file a complaint on cybercrime.gov.in. Complaints can also be registered through CHAKSHU (sancharsaathi.gov.in) or by visiting the nearest police station or cyber cell with supporting evidence.