Hyderabad: Cybercriminals target electricity consumers to siphon lakhs

Hyderabad: Conmen posing as electricity board officials have been targeting people on the pretext of unpaid bills.

The offenders send text messages to their targets regarding electricity dues, threatening to cut the power supply if the bills remain unpaid. Once the person responds to the message, the conmen send certain links asking the victims to download apps through which dues are to be paid.

Such cases have been on the rise in the city. Cybercrime police have urged people to be aware of such messages. The offenders ask victims for a meagre amount through the Quick Support app, while the victims wait for further instructions, the offenders swindle money from the accounts they gain access to.

In two such cases reported last week, a man lost Rs. 8.5 lakh while the other lost Rs 1.5 lakh.