Overview
- Citizens across Punjab reported phishing SMS that linked to a cloned PSCA website and pushed bogus fine payments.
- PSCA confirmed the messages were fraudulent and said authentic e-challan alerts are sent only from 8070 and never seek cash, account numbers, or bank details via SMS.
- An internal inquiry traced an alert to a man in Karachi and found the used phone number registered to an uninvolved woman, with suspects said to source SIMs and CNIC data from vendors.
- The authority lodged a complaint with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency and asked Punjab Police to trace the numbers, seeking legal action including for reputational harm.
- Officials advised citizens to look for time, location, and violation details in genuine alerts, avoid clicking unknown links, report suspicious texts to 15 or the FIA Cyber Wing, and note PSCA services are free.