APSPDCL cautions public against online electricity bill payment scams in Nellore

Andhra Pradesh Southern Power Distribution Company Ltd (APSPDCL) on Wednesday cautioned the public against online scammers trying to loot money from consumers in the name of pending electricity bill payments.

Nellore Superintending Engineer V. Vijayan said that these scammers send fake messages with forged unpaid bills and links to consumers seeking immediate payments, and threaten power disconnection if the reported dues are not paid.

As the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has restricted electricity bill payments through UPI payment gateways from July 1, consumers are now unable to pay bills via PhonePe, Paytm and Google Pay. Citing this as a reason for the failure of bill payments, scammers dupe users to send money to their personal accounts.

“People afraid of power cuts will click on the fake links and pay the said money. Through that link, cybercriminals get access to the user’s account. Such messages have been rampant in Nellore lately,” informed Mr. Vijayan.

Advising people to exercise caution, he further said: “In case of any doubts, people should report to the respective offices before opening unauthorised links. If an SMS says that the power connection will be cut, it is necessary to contact the Electricity Department staff and verify the facts.”