Bengaluru: Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting gullible citizens through utility fraud, impersonating officials from gas, power, and water distribution companies to cheat victims of their hard-earned money. By employing high-pressure "mind games" and threats of service disconnection, these fraudsters continue to find success despite frequent public warnings.
Recently, Ashim Majumder, 52, a bank manager on MG Road, lost around 1.2 lakh to fraudsters who threatened to disconnect the gas connection to his house in Thane, provided by Maharashtra Natural Gas Limited (MNGL). Majumder moved to Bengaluru about 15 months ago and has been regularly paying the minimum MNGL charges.
Around 10 am on Feb 9, he received a WhatsApp message from 9725391945 stating that due to a pending bill, the MNGL gas connection at his Thane residence would be disconnected by 9pm. The message asked him to contact 6200064951 to update the bill. Concerned about his family's visits to Thane, Majumder called the number. The person at the other end, posing as an MNGL helpline executive, claimed the payment was not updated and sent a link asking him to install an app and pay Rs 10 to update the bill using his debit card.
"I was convinced by the fraudster. I clicked on the APK file, entered my debit card details and made the payment, but the transaction failed. I then attempted another Rs 10 payment using my credit card, which also failed," Majumder said.
Within minutes, Rs 43,398 was debited from his debit card and Rs 73,518 from his credit card, resulting in a total loss of close to Rs 1.2 lakh.
He blocked both cards, contacted the bank helpline, called the cyber helpline 1930 and later filed a complaint with Ashok Nagar police. Efforts to freeze the fraudsters' bank accounts are underway.
In a similar case, Virag Shekhar Shah, a 38-year-old private firm employee from Adugodi, fell victim to a similar scam after receiving a fake WhatsApp message warning of his imminent MNGL gas disconnection for his Pune residence. The fraudsters siphoned off Rs 1.1 lakh from his credit card.
"The fraudster had all my details such as my house address, my parents' names and the last bill paid, including amount and date. He said the bill had already been paid and asked me to click a link to update the connection," Shah said.
Though Shah believes he did not click the link after noticing it was an APK file, he suspects accidental access compromised his phone, diverting incoming calls to fraudsters. He reported the fraud to the cyber helpline and filed a complaint with Adugodi police.
A senior officer said a case has been registered under the Information Technology Act and cautioned the public against responding to urgent messages threatening service disconnections.
Utility companies do not ask customers to download APK files or share personal details over WhatsApp. Even after reporting the fraud, Shah saw attempts to access his banking and e-commerce apps and decided to change his phone number. He also received a message claiming an electricity bill of Rs 6.1 lakh was pending for a residence in Jharkhand, which he does not own.
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What are utility scams?
Fraudsters pretend to be utility suppliers and contact victims via WhatsApp or SMS, claiming unpaid or wrongly paid bills. They threaten disconnection and send APK files that give them access to victims' devices.
Modus operandi: Utility scams typically follow a set pattern.
Threat: A WhatsApp or SMS message warns of imminent disconnection (often within hours).
Trap: Victims are told the ‘system is not updated' and are sent an APK file or a link to a remote-access app.
Theft: Once the app is installed, fraudsters gain control of the device, intercepting OTPs and banking credentials to drain accounts.
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How to stave off fraud
Dos
Don'ts
Verify: Call the official customer care number found on your physical bill or the official website
Don't panic: Scammers use urgency to prevent you from thinking clearly
Use app stores: Download apps only from official Google Play Store or Apple App Store
No APKs: Never click on links or download files sent via WhatsApp/SMS
Report: Immediately call 1930 if you receive a suspicious message
Don't share: Never provide OTPs, PINs, or Aadhaar numbers to callers
Monitor: Regularly check bank statements for any unauthorized transactions
Trust no ID: Caller IDs and email addresses can be easily spoofed to look legitimate
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