Beware of online fraudsters’, BESCOM to its consumers

Bengaluru, June 8: ‘Dear customer, your electricity power will be disconnected tonight at 9.30 pm from the electricity office, because your previous month’s electricity paid bill was not updated.

Please immediately contact with our electricity officer to.….933 mobile number and send WhatsApp bill screenshot…’
BESCOM consumers are getting these messages often to their mobiles in the recent past. Fearing the disconnection of electricity connections, consumers have been making online payments and get cheated.

BESCOM has taken cognizance of such fraudulent act by reporting the same to cyber crime police. Besides, BESCOM has continuously given awareness to the consumers on social media platforms requesting them not to fall prey to online fraudsters.

BESCOM has given alert to the consumers in its Facebook and Twitter accounts, asking them to pay the electricity bills only at BESCOM counters, Bengaluru One, BESCOM Mitra App, Google pay, Phone pay or the BESCOM portal.

BESCOM has requested the consumers that if they received any message asking to pay the bill, they have to immediately call the BESCOM helpline 1912 or the concerned Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE).

BESCOM has further clarified that, neither BESCOM sub-divisional office nor BESCOM bill collectors insisted on payment of the bill by sending any text messages to the consumers. While generating the bill, consumers get 30 days grace for the payment, said BESCOM officials.

If consumers get such kind of messages, they should immediately bring into the notice of 1912 helpline or the nearest BESCOM sub-division office. Consumers have been asked to pay the electricity bill through BESCOM bill counters, Bengaluru One, google, or phone pay. Even they can pay the bill through the BESCOM Mitra app or BESCOM online portal. Repeated requests have been made to the consumers in BESCOM social media platform and in Consumer Interactions Meetings not to respond text messages with regard to billings”, said S. R. Nagaraj, General Manager (Consumer Relations) of BESCOM.

In consumer interaction meetings held every third Saturday in a month at BESCOM sub-divisions, awareness has been made and distributing handbills requesting them do not to fall prey to online frauds or online warning messages, said BESCOM senior officials.

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