Power consumers in Himachal being duped by cyber criminals

Tribune News Service

Shimla, June 23

Now, cyber criminals are duping people by threatening to snap their electricity supply. They identify consumers, whose bills are due, and send them a text message that their bill payment has not been updated and the connection will be snapped.

Modus Operandi

• Cyber criminals identify consumers, whose bills are due. They send them a message about the due payment and threaten to snap the connection
• The scared victims call back on the number sent in the message. The criminals try to take access of their gadget by any desk app and TeamViewer by sending a link
• As soon as the link is clicked, the mobile is hacked and information, including bank and other personal details, is shared

The victims get scared and call back on the number mentioned in the message. The criminals try to take access of their gadget through any desk application and TeamViewer by sending a link. As soon as the link is clicked, the mobile is hacked and information, including bank and other personal details, is shared.

“We have received several such complaints and the public is advised to immediately inform the cyber cell within 15 minutes at 1930 or https://cybercrime.gov.in and [email protected] so that the money could be refunded,” said Additional SP, Cyber Crime, Narvir Singh Rathore.

The public is advised not to click on the mail, link or attachment sent by unknown people, not to share bank details, ATM password, debit and credit card details and OTP and if they receive message regarding snapping of electricity connection, contact the electricity company on the number given on the old bill or visit the nearest office, he said. He asked the victims not to use Google for customer care number as the possibility of criminals changing the number could not be ruled out.

As the miscreants are changing modus operandi everyday, the cyber crime department issues regular alerts and the CID cyber crime wing had also organised cyber crime awareness programme for students at Kalibari Temple Hall in Shimla on June 18. Street shows were also performed by the team of the National School of Drama, he said.

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