Another Chandigarh resident falls prey to fake power bill scam, loses ₹4.43 lakh

The Chandigarh administration had recently cautioned residents to use only the website and mobile app of eSampark Chandigarh for online electricity bill payments

Online fraudsters withdrew ₹4.43 lakh from the bank account of a Sector-43 after sending her a fake text message regarding an unpaid electricity bill.

The complainant told the police that she got a message on her mobile phone, informing that her power connection will be disconnected if she did not clear the dues soon. (Shutterstock)

Surinder Paul Kaur told the police that she got a message on her mobile phone, informing that her electricity connection will be disconnected if she did not clear the dues soon. When she contacted the phone number mentioned in the message, no one answered.

Later, she got a call from the same number and the caller identified himself as an employee of the Chandigarh electricity department. The caller told her that she needed to get her bill updated and pay a nominal fee. He sent her a link and asked for her debit card details, which she provided, following which a total of ₹4.43 lakh were withdrawn from her bank account through multiple transactions.

On Kaur’s complaint, police registered a case of cheating and criminal conspiracy at the Cyber Crime police station, and launched an investigation.

Amid rising cases of such frauds, the UT administration had recently cautioned residents to use only the website and mobile app of eSampark Chandigarh for online electricity bill payments.