Electricity bill SMS scam: your power isn’t being cut tonight by text message
SMS that say your electricity will be disconnected tonight at 9:30 because last month’s bill was “not updated”, and ask you to call an “electricity officer” on a mobile number, are scams. The caller makes you pay a small amount through a link or install a screen-sharing app, then empties your account.
Power companies send bills and notices through official channels and never give an officer’s personal number. Check your bill on your power company’s app or the helpline printed on your paper bill.
Last updated: Reviewed by IndiaDigital editorsSources
How does this scam work?
- An SMS arrives from a 10-digit mobile number, not your power company’s sender ID.
- It says the bill was not updated and the power will be cut tonight.
- The “officer” on the phone asks you to pay ₹10 or ₹12 through a link, or install AnyDesk or an .apk to “update” the bill.
- Your card details, OTPs or the remote app give them access to your money.
Real-style examples
Numbers and links are changed. The red flags are marked by the same engine that runs in the Scam Checker.
Dear Consumer, your electricity power will be disconnected tonight at 9.30 pm from electricity office because your previous month bill was not update. Please immediately contact our electricity officer 9876543210. Thank you
- “Power cut tonight, call the officer”
- Asks you to call a personal mobile number
- Electricity disconnection warning
प्रिय उपभोक्ता, पिछले महीने का बिल अपडेट नहीं होने के कारण आज रात 9:30 बजे आपकी बिजली काट दी जाएगी। तुरंत बिजली अधिकारी से संपर्क करें 8899776655
- “Power cut tonight, call the officer”
- Asks you to call a personal mobile number
- Electricity disconnection warning
प्रिय ग्राहक, तुमचे वीज कनेक्शन आज रात्री कापले जाईल. ताबडतोब संपर्क करा 9988776655
- “Power cut tonight, call the officer”
- Electricity disconnection warning
- Pressure plus a request
Red flags: how to spot it
- “Tonight at 9:30” deadlines
- “Previous month bill not updated”
- A personal mobile number for an “officer”
- A request to install an app or pay a small amount by link
How to check if it is real
- Open your power company’s app or website and check the bill status.
- Call the helpline printed on your paper bill, not the number in the SMS.
- Remember: disconnection follows written notices after the due date, not a same-night SMS.
What to do if you get one
- Don’t call the number. Block it and report the SMS on Chakshu.
- If you installed an app, uninstall it and call your bank.
- If money was taken, call 1930 immediately.
Remember: Power companies send notices through official channels and never ask you to call a personal mobile number or install an app.
Lost money? What to do in the first hour
- Call 1930 now. The National Cyber Crime Helpline. The first hour matters most: a quick report lets banks try to hold the money before it moves on.
- File the complaint on cybercrime.gov.in. Add the transaction ID or UTR, amount, time, the UPI ID or account the money went to, and screenshots. Note your complaint number.
- Tell your bank and freeze cards and UPI. Call the number on your card or in the bank app. Reporting within 3 working days can limit your liability under RBI rules.
- Keep the evidence, beware “recovery agents”. Don’t delete chats. Anyone who charges a fee to get your money back is running a second scam.
Frequently asked questions
Will my electricity really be cut tonight?
Not because of an SMS like this. Power companies follow a notice process and do not ask you to call a personal mobile number.
How do I check my real electricity bill?
Use your power company’s official app or website, or any UPI or bill-payment app that fetches the bill using your consumer number.
I installed the app the officer told me to. What now?
Turn on airplane mode, uninstall the app, call your bank to block cards and UPI, and change passwords from another device. Report on 1930 if money was taken.
Related scams
Sources
National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (1930) · Sanchar Saathi: Chakshu, report suspected fraud communication · RBI: limiting customer liability in unauthorised electronic banking transactions