Delhi man loses Rs 9 lakh to fraudsters posing as electricity department officials

Cyber scams have become an unfortunate reality in India, with many falling prey to fraudsters who use sophisticated methods to steal money. The latest victim of such a scam is a man from West Delhi, who lost Rs 9 lakh to scammers pretending to be officials from the electricity department.

The incident unfolded on December 26 when the victim went to his local electricity office to submit a name-change application for his power connection. After leaving the office, he received a call from an unknown number. The caller claimed to be from the power distribution company and informed the man that there was a pending electricity bill of Rs 13.

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Believing the caller, the victim made the payment of Rs 13 online. However, this seemingly small transaction was just the beginning of a much larger scam. The fraudster called again, asking the victim to download an app through a link sent via text message. The man, trusting the caller, assumed the app would help with his name-change request. Little did he know, that by opening the app and sharing his details, he was giving the scammers remote access to his phone.

Over the next few days, between December 29 and December 31, the fraudsters used this access to conduct multiple unauthorised transactions from the victim’s bank account, stealing a total of Rs 9 lakh.

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How to protect yourself from such scams

• Verify the caller: If you receive a call claiming to be from a government department or company, hang up and call the official number listed on their website to confirm the details.
• Avoid clicking on unknown links: Never download apps or click on links sent by strangers, especially if they claim to be related to official matters.
• Monitor your accounts: Regularly check your bank statements and transaction history for any unauthorised activity.
• Report suspicious calls: If you receive a suspicious call, report it to the authorities immediately.