Scam alertIndia
“Your Electricity Will Be Disconnected Tonight” — the Fake Bill Scam (India)
Posted 10 Sep 2026
Millions of Indians are getting messages like: “Dear Customer, your electricity power will be disconnected tonight at 9:30 pm from the electricity office because your previous month bill was not updated. Please immediately contact our electricity officer [mobile number].” The English is often broken, and the sender is a personal mobile number or WhatsApp account — not your electricity board.
Call the number and a fake “officer” tells you to pay a small amount to “update” the bill through a link or UPI, or to install a “helper” app like AnyDesk or TeamViewer so they can “fix” it — which hands them remote control of your phone and your banking apps. Either way, your account is drained. Real electricity boards send bills through official channels and never demand instant payment to a personal number to avoid a night-time cut-off.
What to Do
- Don’t call the number, and don’t tap any link in the message.
- Never install AnyDesk, TeamViewer, or any “screen-sharing” app because someone on a call told you to — it gives them full control of your phone.
- Check your bill only in your provider’s official app or website, or the number printed on a genuine paper bill.
- Never pay a “bill update” or “reconnection fee” by UPI link or to a personal number.
- Already paid or installed an app? Turn on airplane mode, uninstall the app, call your bank to freeze the account, then report at 1930 / cybercrime.gov.in.