Chennai, Sept 18:
Cyber criminals are adopting a new method to cheat electricity consumers by sending fake messages in the name of the Electricity Board, warning them that their power connection will be disconnected if their previous month’s bill is not updated. Police have urged the public not to respond to such messages or contact the phone numbers provided in them.
The latest scam came to light after a private company employee from Thiruvanmiyur received a message claiming to have been sent by the Electricity Board. The message stated that his previous month’s electricity bill had not been updated and warned that his power supply would be disconnected after 9.45 pm that day. It asked him to immediately contact a particular mobile number, which was presented as an Electricity Board number.
The employee was surprised as he had been regularly paying his electricity bills before the due dates. He replied to the number, informing the sender that the bill had already been paid, and shared details of two previous payments. The person on the other end then claimed that he would help update the payment details.
The suspected fraudster subsequently asked the consumer to communicate through WhatsApp. The number appeared to have been saved with the name ‘billupdate EB’, making it appear to be an official electricity-related contact. The consumer continued the conversation believing that he was dealing with an Electricity Board representative.
However, before sharing any further information or making any payment, the consumer contacted M Balasundaram, Assistant Engineer of the Kottivakkam electricity section, and sought clarification. The official immediately told him that the Electricity Board had not sent any such message and warned that it was likely to be a cyber fraud attempt. He advised the consumer to disconnect the call immediately.
The consumer followed the advice and cut off communication with the suspected fraudster. As a result, he avoided not only a possible financial loss but also the risk of his personal and banking information being stolen.
The incident was subsequently reported through the cyber crime helpline 1930. The person attending the call reportedly informed the consumer that several people had complained about similar attempts involving claims that electricity bills had not been updated. Cyber criminals are suspected of using information relating to electricity consumers to make such fraudulent approaches.
The official Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TNPDCL) website has also warned consumers about fraudulent SMS and WhatsApp messages carrying almost identical threats. It specifically states that such messages are not sent by TNPDCL and advises consumers not to respond to them.
The messages generally create a sense of urgency by mentioning a specific time by which the consumer’s electricity connection will supposedly be disconnected. The fraudsters then provide a mobile number and attempt to persuade the consumer to share bill details, payment screenshots or other information. Such details can potentially be used to facilitate financial fraud or identity-related crimes.
Consumers have therefore been advised to verify the status of their electricity bills only through official channels. TNPDCL says electricity bills can be paid through its official website, official mobile application, authorised payment channels and electricity section offices. Consumers have been specifically cautioned against making payments through unauthorised agents, mobile applications or websites.
Police have urged people not to panic if they receive messages threatening immediate power disconnection. Instead of calling the number mentioned in the message, consumers should independently verify their bill status through the official electricity department channels. They should also avoid sharing OTPs, bank details, payment screenshots, Aadhaar details or other personal information with unknown callers.
Officials have further advised consumers to disconnect suspicious calls immediately and report cyber fraud attempts through the 1930 cyber crime helpline. Quick reporting is particularly important if money has already been transferred or sensitive banking information has been shared.