India, Dec. 26 -- A man lost nearly Rs. 6 lakh after clicking a link sent through a text message that claimed he had to pay a traffic fine of Rs. 500. Cybercrime police said the incident highlights how fraudsters are using fake challan messages to target vehicle owners.

According to officials, the victim received an SMS stating that a fine had been imposed on his vehicle for a traffic violation. The message included a payment link. Believing it to be genuine, the man clicked the link and reached a webpage that appeared to offer a challan payment option.

When he tried to enter payment details, fraudsters gained access to his phone and banking information. Soon after, unauthorised transactions took place from his account. Police said the ...