Five Arrested Across India in Cyber Fraud Network Using Fake Traffic Challan Messages

Delhi Police arrested five people for running a cyber fraud network that used fake traffic challan text messages and reward apps to cheat people out of more than 10 crore rupees.

The Investigation

The probe started after a man lost 2.21 lakh rupees from his credit card in November 2025 after clicking a link in a fake traffic challan message. Technical checks led police to Nitesh Patel in Jabalpur, and further checks pointed to his nephew's phone containing a reward app named Wingo Cash.

How It Worked

The gang used a foreign app to send phishing messages through ordinary users' phones, paying them one to three rupees for every reward redemption. The app automatically sent nine to twelve phishing messages whenever a user redeemed a reward, while locking the phone screen for about thirty seconds. Police traced around 3,300 such messages and found 544 complaints linked to the network.

Seizures and Arrests

Officers arrested Moti Singh Baghela, Harshpal, Vicky, Vishal Das Vaishnav, and Barjesh Kumar across Mumbai, Lucknow, Delhi, Rajasthan, and Punjab. Police also seized fifteen digital devices, fifty-nine debit cards, fifty-two passbooks and cheque books, fourteen company stamps, five POS machines, eight QR-code scanners, a gold chain, and a car.

Context

Fake traffic challan text messages have become a common trick used by online criminals to steal bank details from unsuspecting citizens. Law enforcement agencies frequently track down mule bank accounts and international apps to dismantle these syndicates.