Got govt notice about unpaid power bill? Sender could be Jamtara gang

One of the fake notices that are being sent to unsuspecting citizens

The infamous cyber fraudsters of Jharkhand's Jamtara district have sunk to a new low - they are now sending fake notices, supposedly from the ministry of power, threatening to disconnect the power supply to homes if dues are not paid. Numerous cases have been reported throughout Mumbai where individuals received letters rife with spelling errors informing them about an imminent power disconnection.

The fraudsters would then provide the recipients with the contact details of an 'officer' to resolve the 'issue'. Subsequently, they would request a payment of R1 to supposedly update the bill, but this is a ruse to defraud people of lakhs of rupees. Some victims have lost as much as Rs 27 lakh. The Maharashtra and the Mumbai Cyber Police have issued multiple advisories warning citizens not to fall for the scam.

"The scam originated from the cyber crime hub of Jamtara and multiple accused have been arrested by different police stations from this location. Now, it appears that the same group, after securing bail, has adopted a new modus operandi to cheat people," a Mumbai Cyber Police officer told mid-day. The cops have taken cognisance of the letters and are trying to determine where they originated from. Advocate Sunil Pandey, who is representing clients involved in cyber fraud cases before the magistrate court, himself received a dubious letter from an unknown number recently.

"It appears to be related to the new electricity bill scam. As a lawyer, I have encountered numerous similar and have represented clients involved in such matters. It is crucial for the authorities to investigate this and raise awareness among the public to prevent innocent people from falling victim to these fraudsters," he said. Lakhmi Gautam, joint commissioner, crime, Mumbai, said, "Cyber awareness remains one of our top priorities, and we consistently conduct educational initiatives on various levels.

It is crucial for individuals to exercise caution and refrain from engaging with letters or messages received from unknown sources. Before making any payment related to their electricity bills, people should verify with the actual office of their electricity providers. Our dedicated teams are actively working to combat these cyber frauds and put an end to them."

Rs 27 lakh
Amount that some victims have lost in the fraud