Motorists have been warned against falling for an emerging scam where fraudulent messages are being sent demanding instant payments for alleged traffic violations.
In a public alert on Thursday, December 18, the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) flagged SMS instant fines as fake, adding that it was purely the work of fraudsters.
"We have received reports of fraudsters sending SMS messages to members of the public, urging them to pay alleged traffic violation fines through a specified link by a deadline. Please be informed that the website mentioned in these messages is not affiliated with or operated by NTSA," the authority said in a statement.
The messages in question have been urging recipients to pay supposed traffic violation fines through a provided link, which has similarities to the NTSA's official portal.
Inside the link, motorists are met with a threat indicating they have an unpaid instant fine, and they risk a court summons if it goes unpaid.
One of the biggest red flags from the fake portal was that it required a user to input the vehicle's registration number. Typically, the NTSA already has this crucial piece of information in the event the authority wants to find a motorist.
To make the scheme convincing, the fraudsters accompany the SMS with a short deadline to give the illusion of urgency that is usually associated with instant fines.
However, on social media, several motorists have reported receiving the SMS despite not having any traffic violations, further raising red flags.
Drivers have been advised against clicking on any links attached to the fraudulent messages and replying to the messages since doing so exposes them to further fraud.
NTSA also warned motorists against making payments through links sent via unsolicited SMS.
For those who have already made payments, NTSA advised the victims to immediately contact their banks to block or reverse the transaction.
The latest scam appears to be a concerted effort by fraudsters to take advantage of a raft of new measures announced by the government through Chief Justice Martha Koome to combat the rising cases of disaster this festive season.
As part of an elaborate plan by the National Council on the Administration of Justice (NCAJ) alongside other relevant state agencies, there will be heightened compliance checks along major roads, while Koome announced the establishment of mobile courts along major corridors to deal with traffic offences.
