Motorists in Hyderabad are being cautioned about a rising vehicle registration cloning scam, where fraudsters duplicate or manipulate number plates, causing unsuspecting owners to receive traffic challans for violations they did not commit.
Recent investigations by the Hyderabad Traffic Police have brought to light multiple such incidents, exposing how tampered or counterfeit number plates are misleading automated enforcement systems. According to a report published by The Indian Express, offenders have been replicating or altering registration numbers to evade penalties, while surveillance technologies continue to issue fines to legitimate vehicle owners.
Case 1: Nellore Resident Receives Challans from Hyderabad
In one case reported earlier this week, a resident of Nellore district approached authorities after repeatedly receiving challans for violations in Jubilee Hills—a location nearly 500 kilometres away from his residence.
Following a complaint registered at the Jubilee Hills police station, investigators identified the accused as 26-year-old V. Suresh Kumar, a food delivery worker. To avoid accumulating penalties, he had removed his scooter’s original registration plate and replaced it with a randomly selected number beginning with ‘AP39’. This number belonged to the Nellore-based vehicle owner, who unknowingly became the recipient of multiple traffic fines.
Police officials confirmed that the accused’s original vehicle number began with ‘TS09BWTRXXXX’, indicating a deliberate attempt to mislead authorities and circumvent enforcement mechanisms.
Case 2: Homemaker Targeted Through Altered Registration
In a separate incident, a homemaker from Kukatpally reported receiving several challans for violations in areas she had never visited. Subsequent examination of CCTV footage led investigators to a vehicle linked to Shaik Abbu Baba, aged 41.
Further inquiry revealed that his 19-year-old relative, Shaik Rihaan, had been using the vehicle and frequently violating traffic regulations. In an effort to evade fines, Rihaan altered a single character in the vehicle’s registration number, resulting in penalties being issued to the unsuspecting homemaker.
The victim later stated that the repeated notifications caused significant distress, particularly as she had no connection to the reported violations. Authorities have since registered a cheating case against the accused.
Technology-Driven Enforcement and Public Advisory
According to D. Joel Davis, Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), Hyderabad, tampering with or falsifying vehicle registration plates constitutes a serious and punishable offence. He emphasised that advanced surveillance systems—including CCTV networks and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology—are being actively deployed to identify and track offenders.
Officials have assured that such technological tools enable accurate tracing of violators, even in cases involving manipulated registration details.
Reporting Mechanisms and Preventive Measures
With similar complaints reportedly on the rise, authorities have urged citizens to remain vigilant and promptly report any suspected misuse of their vehicle registration numbers. Complaints can be filed through official platforms such as the e-challan portal, designated email channels, or WhatsApp helplines.
As automated enforcement systems become increasingly integral to traffic management, officials stress that public awareness and timely reporting are crucial in curbing such fraudulent practices.
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