Maharashtra: Man Duped Of Rs 2.14 Lakh After Clicking On 'Link' To Pay Electricity Bill

Many users have been receiving messages on WhatsApp or via SMS from random numbers that says that their electricity connection will be suspended soon unless they immediately call a certain number.

SBI recently warned customers against falling prey to fraudulent messages about unpaid electricity bills

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A 48-year-old man from Nagpur, Maharashtra, lost Rs 2.14 lakh after clicking on a link sent by fraudsters impersonating state discom officials who asked him to pay a "pending" electricity bill, news agency PTI reported.

The victim received text messages on his phone informing him that if he did not "update" and pay the "pending" bills in April this year, his electricity connection would be disconnected.

Believing that the messages were sent by the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL), the man called the number. The person then asked him to install a remote access app on his mobile phone, PTI quoted a police official as saying.

"After he downloaded the app, the fraudsters asked him to make the payment. Assuming that he was updating the bill, the man clicked on the link. Within seconds, an amount of Rs 2.14 lakh got transferred from his bank account to another account," PTI quoted the official as saying. 

A case was registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for cheating and under provisions of the Information Technology Act.

In recent months, many users have been receiving messages on WhatsApp or via SMS from random numbers that says that their electricity connection will be suspended soon unless they immediately call a certain number.

The State Bank of India (SBI) recently warned customers against falling prey to fraudulent messages about unpaid electricity bills. "Understand "YehWrongNumberHai"! Never call back or respond to such SMSs as these are a scam to steal your personal/financial information. Stay Alert and #SafeWithSBI," SBI wrote in a post on Twitter.

Text message scams, also known as smishing, are one of the most popular tricks scamsters use to steal personal information and money.

(With Inputs From Agencies)