Electricity Bill Disconnection Scam on WhatsApp

How it looks on WhatsApp, the red flags and what to do.

On WhatsApp the scammer can send images, voice notes, PDFs and APK files, and a friendly profile photo makes the first message feel safe. Electricity Bill Disconnection Scam is one of the ways this shows up: A message says your electricity will be cut tonight for an unpaid bill, and tells you to pay through a number, link or app to avoid it.

What electricity bill disconnection scam looks like on WhatsApp

• A link that pretends to be a wa.me, courier or bank page.
• A message from an unknown number, often with a stock photo of a smiling person.
• A friend or relative asking for urgent money from a new number or a hacked account.

The scammer sends the same message to thousands of numbers, using the name of a local electricity board or a common power company. It includes a time that is only a few hours away and a request to contact an officer. The message looks short and official, with a customer ID that is just a few random digits.

Red flags to check on the WhatsApp message

• The message gives a disconnection time within hours.
• A private mobile number is given for an 'officer'.
• You are told to install an app or tap a link to update the bill.
• A small payment is requested to 'activate' the update.
• Someone asks for the six-digit code WhatsApp sent you by SMS.
• A new number says it is someone you know and asks for money; call the real person on the old number first.

What to do

1. Do not call the number or tap the link in the message.
2. Look at your last paid bill and payment history in the official app or website you type yourself.
3. Call the electricity board using the number on your bill if you need help.
4. Turn on two-step verification in WhatsApp settings so a stolen SMS code is not enough.
5. Warn the group or family, and report the number on Sanchar Saathi if it is a scam call or message.
6. Do not click links or open files. Do not send money or codes.

Inside WhatsApp use Block and report; for numbers that call or text you, the Sanchar Saathi portal (Chakshu facility) also takes complaints.

If money or a code is already gone

1. Call 1930 at once and give the amount and time of the payment.
2. Tell your bank using the number on your card or passbook.
3. Remove any app installed on the caller's advice and change banking passwords.
4. Report at https://cybercrime.gov.in with the message and screenshots.

National Cyber Crime Helpline: 1930; report at cybercrime.gov.in.

Safeavio's scam check can review the message you paste and show why it looks like urgency and fake authority, and the link check looks at the link before you open it. If an app was installed, the phone scan can point out apps outside a store. It cannot tell whether your bill is paid, so check your last bill or the official app.

Full guide: Electricity Bill Disconnection Scam: how it works, signs and what to do. Other channels: SMS, phone call, fake app.

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