Scam 2023: Bill Payments

Once, I received a message saying that my electricity bill was overdue and today was the last day before disconnection. The message told me to click a link to pay the bill. Now, I don’t have my own electricity connection, but I have my number registered for my parent’s connection. I immediately checked for bill generation of the same month and found that the actual sender was AX-UPPCLA, which is supposedly the UP electricity board. To clear any doubts, I decided to call my father and confirm if there was any pending bill. Thankfully, he assured me that everything had already been paid. Just to be extra sure, I visited the official website and verified the same. It turned out to be yet another attempt to deceive me into paying a fake bill.

If you receive a message stating that your bill is overdue and today is the due date or disconnection date, it’s important to take a moment and verify the information. Check your account or bill to confirm if there is any pending payment. If you are unable to validate the information on your own and immediate assistance is not readily available, it’s alright. The late payment fee for overdue bills is typically in the range of 50–500 rupees at most. It’s better to take a brief moment to verify the details than to fall victim to a scam and lose a large sum of money.

Before taking any action or making a payment, it’s important to read and review the details carefully. Pay close attention to the payee’s name, account number, and the amount you are about to send. If you are making a payment to someone for the first time, consider starting with a small amount, such as Rs 1, to verify their credentials and trustworthiness. When making transfers, it is advisable to use NEFT (National Electronic Funds Transfer) instead of immediate transfers, especially when dealing with someone you don’t know personally. A verified payee should have no issues waiting for a short period of time to comply with policies and ensure a secure transaction.