COIMBATORE: The Coimbatore city police arrested a ten-member gang from Gujarat on Sunday in connection with a fake traffic e-challan scam. The modus operandi of the fraudsters is to send WhatsApp messages containing a malicious link designed to look like an e-challan notification from the traffic police.

The complainant, Samuel Chandrabose (71), from Kavundampalayam, received a similar link and, believing it to be genuine, he clicked the link and downloaded the file. Following this, the cybercriminals hacked his phone and withdrew Rs 16.5 lakh from his bank account.

Based on his complaint to the cyber crime police, a police team nabbed the ten-member gang from Gujarat and seized Rs 3.5 lakh in cash, 311 credit and ATM cards, ten mobile phones, a swiping device and a passport. Also, efforts are under way to retrieve the balance amount of the complainant from the suspect's bank accounts. Further inquiry is under way.