Business Desk 
Sep 29, 2025
Authorities have warned the public about a sophisticated scam that targets residents of Punjab and Karachi, warning them not to fall for phoney e-challan messages that demand immediate payment of traffic fines.
Scammers are allegedly sending phoney SMS messages purporting to be from mobile payment services like Easypaisa in an attempt to trick gullible citizens into disclosing private information or making illegal payments.
These messages are "fake, misleading, and fraudulent", according to the Karachi Traffic Police, who have categorically condemned them and stated that they are unrelated to the traffic police or any other government agency.
People are urged to use extreme caution and not divulge personal information or send money using unreliable links and numbers.
Residents can call the Karachi Traffic Police helpline at 1915 for support and confirmation. This preventative action attempts to protect citizens from becoming victims of these frauds and guarantee a safe online shopping environment.
Similar to this, the Punjab Safe City Authority has warned about phoney challan messages that are making the rounds in the area.
How to stay safe from scammers?
According to officials, authentic e-challan SMS messages are only sent from 8070 and never ask for bank account information.
The public is advised to consider any SMS they receive from numbers other than 8070 to be fraudulent.
Citizens are advised to use ePay Punjab or only click on official links to confirm the authenticity of challans.
The public is reminded that only authorised government platforms provide access to all official challan details. Before making any payments, citizens are urged to confirm the legitimacy of e-challan messages and make sure they are using safe and authorised channels.
Authorities in Punjab and Karachi have promised to take strong action against scammers who carry out these schemes. The public is asked to exercise caution and notify the appropriate authorities of any suspicious activity.
