Scammers Impersonating As RTO Officials, Target Motorists With Fake Fine Demands

Hyderabad: In the latest fraudulent activity, scammers are impersonating Regional Transport Office (RTO) officials and targeting motorists, demanding payment for non-existent traffic fines.

The fraudsters, posing as RTO officials, are contacting individuals over the phone or by way of text messages. They claim that the motorist has an outstanding challan, which had to be paid immediately. To instill fear and urgency, they often threaten that the motorist will be charged with heavy penalties if the dues are not settled immediately.

The victims are instructed to transfer the money to bank accounts controlled by the scammers or to use digital payment platforms. They are sent QR codes and asked to pay with the banker’s UPI account.

A victim, speaking to Deccan Chronicle, said “I recently went from Hyderabad to Pune on my motorcycle. After coming back, I received a call where the person said that he was from Pune RTO, and a fine had been registered against me for overspeeding. He said I will have to visit a court in Pune if the fine was not paid immediately. I immediately sent Rs 1,200 to his bank account”, said the victim.

Meanwhile, authorities are urging the public to be cautious and verify any such claims before making payments.

“No RTO official will contact you to pay a fine. Moreover, nobody will urge you to pay a fine immediately”, said Venkatesh, an RTO official.