Chandigarh: Couple loses ₹3.6L to scammers after calling fake electricity helpline
According to the complaint, the man who answered the call claimed he was an employee of the power distribution company and asked the couple to pay ₹10 online to update the electricity bill to avoid disconnection. When Kanil informed that he only used Google Pay, the caller sent a payment link via WhatsApp from another number and convinced him to click it.
A Chandigarh couple alleged they lost over ₹3.67 lakh to cyber fraudsters who impersonated customer care executives of Chandigarh Power Distribution Company (CPDL) and tricked them into sharing one-time passwords (OTPs) after sending a malicious link on WhatsApp.
In a written complaint submitted at cyber crime police station, Sector 17, Umesh Kumar, a resident of Sector 35A, said the incident occurred on September 2 when there was a power outage at their house. Her husband, Kanil Kumar, searched online for the customer care number of CPDL and dialled a number—9635934050—which appeared legitimate on Google search results.
Fraudster sent payment link via WhatsApp
According to the complaint, the man who answered the call claimed he was an employee of the power distribution company and asked the couple to pay ₹10 online to update the electricity bill to avoid disconnection. When Kanil informed that he only used Google Pay, the caller sent a payment link via WhatsApp from another number and convinced him to click it.
The complainant alleged that after clicking the link, the fraudster took remote access and obtained OTPs that were received on Umesh’s mobile phone. Subsequently, multiple unauthorised transactions were carried out from her Axis Bank account, amounting to ₹3 lakh through five transactions of ₹50,000 and ₹1 lakh. Of these, one transaction of ₹50,000 was automatically reversed due to technical reasons.
Later, upon checking another family bank account with ICICI Bank, held in the name of Umesh’s elderly mother but linked with her husband’s phone number, two more fraudulent withdrawals of ₹49,500 and ₹18,000 were detected, totalling ₹67,500.
The total amount siphoned off stands at ₹3,67,500.
Umesh has requested strict legal action against the unidentified fraudsters and assistance in recovery of the stolen funds.
Cyber crime police have begun an inquiry after registration of a case and are verifying call details, bank transaction data and the origin of the fake customer care numbers.
A Chandigarh couple lost over ₹3.67 lakh to cyber fraudsters posing as customer care executives from Chandigarh Power Distribution Company. After a power outage, Kanil Kumar contacted a number found online, leading to a scam involving a malicious WhatsApp link that granted remote access to their accounts. Cybercrime police are investigating the case.