The key facts
- Fake notices in the name of the traffic police are being sent out with fraudsters' bank details — the Russian Interior Ministry previously warned about this
- A genuine fine is always mirrored on Gosuslugi, and its UIN can be checked on the traffic police website
- If a fake has been paid, the money is unlikely to be recovered through the receipt — a police report should be filed
How to check whether a fine notice is genuine
Fraudsters are sending car owners fake notices in the name of the State Traffic Inspectorate, but a genuine fine is always mirrored on the Gosuslugi portal. Auto expert and automotive lawyer Dmitry Slavnov told RT about this in an interview — according to him, this is exactly where one should start when verifying any notice that arrives.
Three verification steps
Slavnov suggested a sequence of three actions. First, log into Gosuslugi and check whether the fine is listed there. Then verify the UIN number on the traffic police website: does such a fine actually exist in the database. Finally, examine the photo of the violation: is it the same car, does the date match, and was the driver actually passing through that place at that time.
What to do if the money has already been paid
This set of steps makes it possible to filter out a fake before payment: a fraudulent notice may look convincing, but it will not appear in the official databases. If a car owner has already paid a fake fine, Slavnov advises filing a report with the police — according to him, getting the money back through the receipt itself is unlikely.
Context: the Interior Ministry's warning
Earlier, the Russian Interior Ministry had already warned Russians about a new trick used by fraudsters: motorists may be sent fictitious traffic violation rulings with bank details for transferring money to the criminals. The automotive lawyer's advice essentially provides a practical action plan to go with this warning: the official databases — Gosuslugi and the traffic police website — serve as a filter that a fake ruling cannot pass.
