Pune: Elderly Woman From Prabhat Road Defrauded Of Rs 11.82 Lakh In Electricity Bill Scam
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On January 24, a 76-year-old woman fell victim to a cyber scam, losing Rs 11.82 lakh after being coerced into paying an electricity bill to prevent disconnection. The victim, a Prabhat Road resident, initially reported the incident to the cybercrime cell, prompting a formal case to be filed with the Deccan Gymkhana police on Thursday following preliminary investigations.
According to a Deccan Gymkhana police officer, the woman received a message on her phone from an unfamiliar number on January 24. The message warned that she needed to settle her electricity bill promptly to avoid a power supply cut. Shortly thereafter, she received a call from a different number where the caller, impersonating an official from the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL), pressured her to make an immediate payment for a pending bill.
The officer noted that the complainant has four electricity meters. When she inquired about which specific meter’s bill was overdue, the caller was unable to provide a clear answer. Instead, the caller sent a link to an app, instructing her to download it in order to complete the payment.
The woman followed these instructions and attempted to make the payment using her debit card. When this transaction failed, she switched to her husband’s credit card. However, the fraudsters managed to gain access to her phone and banking details through the app. The scam was uncovered when her husband received an alert about a Rs 2.79 lakh transaction on his credit card.
Realizing the extent of the fraud, the woman quickly contacted her bank to block her accounts and cards. Unfortunately, by then, the scammers had already drained a total of Rs 11.82 lakh. She subsequently filed an online complaint with the police. The officer confirmed that investigations into the case are ongoing.
