Pune: Many Citizens Cheated Through Fake Electricity Bill Messages, MSEDCL Sounds Alert
Pune, 18th November 2022: Financial cheating of citizens by sending fake SMS and WhatsApp messages and also through mobile calls regarding payment of electricity bills through personal sources have increased. Citizens should not trust fake messages or calls from personal numbers under any circumstances.
Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) has also appealed not to open the link sent or download any software. Mahadiscom mobile app and website www.mahadiscom.in are available for customers to pay electricity bills securely.
“Messages like your electricity supply will be disconnected at 9.30 tonight due to the non-update of last month’s electricity bill are being sent to people by fraudsters and asking them to pay money. Fake ‘SMS’ or Whatsapp messages are being sent saying ‘contact the personal mobile number provided immediately. Mobile calls are also being made. In this, fake messages are being sent to citizens who have nothing to do with electricity bills or to electricity consumers whose electricity bills have already been paid. After responding to these fake messages or calls, unwary citizens are asked to pay their electricity bill only online, send a link for online payment from their mobile number or download software (which hacks mobile or computer). If the citizens respond to these fake messages, the balance in the respective bank account is being looted by hacking the mobile or computer”, MSEDCL stated in a press release.
No such SMS and WhatsApp messages are sent by MSEDCL from any personal mobile number. So only those customers who have registered their mobile number along with the customer number are sent ‘SMS’ through the computerized system. The sender ID of this message is VM-MSEDCL, VK-MSEDCL, AM-MSEDCL, JM-MSEDCL. Also, through this official message, electricity consumers are not informed about contacting any individual mobile number. Bank OTP or downloading any software is not asked. Also, it has been clarified by Mahavitaran that WhatsApp messages are not sent from personal numbers, MSEDCL has clarified.
Only ‘SMS’ are sent by MSEDCL through the authorized sender ID. These include pre-planned maintenance and repairs messages, the probable time required to restore the electricity supply in case of interruption of power supply due to technical or other reasons, amount of electricity bills per month, appeal to customers to submit meter readings themselves, date of meter reading and a total number of units used, amount of electricity bill, due date, Notice etc. of power supply interruption is duly sent.
However, at present the SMS and Whatsapp messages and mobile calls sent to citizens from personal mobile numbers are fake.
“No response should be given to it. Do not open any links or download any software for bill payment. Do not contact the personal mobile number mentioned in the fake message. In case of any doubts or complaints, electricity consumers should contact the toll-free number 1912, 18002123435 or 18002333435 or the nearest office, which is open 24 hours a day”, MSEDCL further informed.
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