Patna: Bihar’s Energy Department has issued a public alert following a sharp rise in cybercriminals impersonating electricity officials to extract money from consumers. Secretary of the Energy Department, Manoj Kumar Singh, urged residents to immediately verify any suspicious communication by contacting their local power supply division via details on the department’s website.
According to officials, scammers have been circulating fake messages about unpaid bills and imminent power disconnection, often including personal phone numbers and urging immediate contact. The department clarified that no official SMS from state electricity providers ever contains the mobile number of an employee, and consumers should not call numbers shared in unsolicited messages.
Legitimate notices concerning disconnection include only the consumer account number and outstanding amount, and never specify a disconnection time. All official communication is sent exclusively from the sender IDs SBPDCL or NBPDCL, authorities said.
An official with Bihar State Power Holding Company Limited warned that fraudsters have been persuading users to download a remote access app to take control of mobile devices and steal money. Consumers were advised to only use authorised applications:
South Bihar: Suvidha app, Bihar Bijli Smart Meter, Urja Smart Meter
North Bihar: Bihar Bijli Smart Meter, Vidyut Smart Meter, Smart Connect, Saral Smart Meter, Sugam Smart Meter
Payments should be made via official websites or trusted platforms, including Google Pay, Paytm, and PhonePe.
Victims or potential targets of cybercrime can report incidents using national helplines 155260, 1930, or 0612-2215142.
The department appealed to consumers to remain vigilant and “beware of any fake calls or messages”.
