Mumbai Comedian Warns of Sophisticated Fake E-Challan SMS and Website Scam

A Mumbai-based comedian, Shridhar V, narrowly avoided falling victim to a sophisticated e-challan scam involving a fake SMS and a counterfeit website mimicking the official Government of India portal. The scam message, sent from a regular mobile number, urged immediate payment of a Rs 500 fine via a shortened link leading to a fraudulent site with a misleading domain, echallan.pasvahan.icu. The fake site displayed official symbols and warnings to create urgency, but a careful domain check helped the comedian avoid entering sensitive card details. Authorities advise verifying URLs and official communications to prevent such fraud.