KURNOOL: Cybercriminals in Kurnool are increasingly targeting local traders by impersonating municipal officials and demanding immediate payment of trade license fees through online platforms, such as PhonePe and Google Pay.
These fraudsters are using local mobile numbers to appear legitimate and send payment links to unsuspecting traders, aiming to siphon off funds.
Municipal officials had recently made public that the Kurnool Municipal Corporation (KMC) had collected about ₹72 crore in property taxes. This seems to have drawn the attention of cybercriminals, who are targeting KMC’s revenue streams like trade licenses.
A KMC official said it is customary for the corporation staff to remind traders about their dues. However, official communications have never included unsolicited payment links or demands for immediate online payments. In fact, there are 11,163 trade licences in the city. The civic body is yet to collect ₹1.45 crore of current payments and ₹3.07 crore in arrears. As at the end of March, KMC has collected only ₹3,14,588.
On coming to know about the fraudsters, municipal commissioner S. Ravindra Babu has alerted shopkeepers to be cautious of cybercriminals. He advised traders to make trade license payments only through known sanitation inspectors, sanitation secretaries or masons, and always obtain an official receipt.
The commissioner specifically warned against responding to calls from unknown numbers, such as +91 6304326727, wherein the caller claims to be a municipal official and requests payment via PhonePe or Google Pay.
Ravindra Babu asked traders to contact the municipal corporation office about any arrears before proceeding with their transactions.
Police officials say such defrauding is part of a broader trend, where cybercriminals exploit digital payment platforms to cheat individuals and businesses. Fraudsters develop fake UPI apps that closely resemble legitimate payment applications, thereby tricking users into believing they have made legitimate payments.
Municipal health officer Dr. K. Visveswar Reddy has advised people to avoid unsolicited payment links, use only official payment methods, and immediately report any suspicious calls or messages to local authorities or cybercrime units.
