Gas Cylinder Booking Payment Scam

A fake gas agency number found online takes your booking, then asks for a payment link, a refund form or a UPI PIN and empties your account.

When you search for a gas agency number to book a cylinder or report a delay, a scammer's number can appear at the top of the results. A helpful voice takes your booking, says that a small fee or a refund is needed, and sends a link. The call feels like a normal service call, so you share details you would never tell a stranger.

How the scam works

The scammer lists fake contact numbers on map and search pages with the names of gas companies and local agencies. When you search in a hurry, because your cylinder is empty or a delivery is late, you call the first number you see. The person answering knows the usual words and asks for your consumer number, name and address.

To 'confirm the booking' they send a payment link or a QR code and ask you to pay a small amount. Or they tell you that a refund for a delayed delivery is due and ask you to enter your UPI PIN or card details to receive it. They may say that the order will be cancelled if you do not complete the step now.

The link or request takes more than the small amount, since the PIN or card details you give are used immediately. In some cases they ask you to install a 'booking app' that reads your screen and OTPs. The scammer receives the money, and your cylinder is never booked, so you may also face the original problem of an empty cylinder.

An example of what you may see

Example only: 'Madam, this is the gas booking desk. Your cylinder will be delivered tomorrow, but we need a verification payment of Rs 5 first. I am sending a link on WhatsApp. Open it, enter your card details and the OTP so that the booking confirms. If you do not do it now, the booking will be cancelled and your subsidy will stop.' The caller never gives a booking number you can check in the supplier's app, and the link asks for full card details.

This example is written for illustration. Real messages change their wording, names and links all the time.

Red flags

• The agency number came from a search result or map listing.
• A payment is needed just to confirm a normal booking.
• You are told to enter a PIN or OTP to receive a refund.
• A subsidy or booking cancellation is used as a threat.
• The caller sends a link or QR code instead of using the official app.
• You are asked to install a booking app.

What to do right now

1. End the call and do not tap the link you were sent.
2. Use the number on your gas booking card, your last bill or the official app.
3. Never enter a PIN or OTP for a booking or refund.
4. Save the number you called and report it on the Sanchar Saathi portal.
5. Tell relatives who book cylinders to use only the official channels.

If you already paid or shared a code

1. Call 1930 at once and give the amount, time and transaction ID.
2. Tell your bank through the number on your card to block the card used.
3. Report at https://cybercrime.gov.in with the call log and any payment screenshots.
4. Uninstall any app that you installed on the caller's advice.

National Cyber Crime Helpline: 1930. Report online at cybercrime.gov.in. Do it fast: the sooner your bank is told, the better the chance that money can be held.

Where this scam shows up

Read how it looks on each channel:

How Safeavio helps

Safeavio's link check can look at a booking or payment link before you open it, and the QR check shows where a code goes before you pay. Money Shield asks you to verify before paying anyone. Safeavio cannot tell whether a phone number belongs to a real agency, so use the number printed on your booking card or bill. It cannot verify agencies.

• Phishing checks
• QR checks

Questions people ask

Other scams in this group

Also known as: fake gas agency number, LPG booking fraud, cylinder refund trick. More payment and upi fraud