SMS says your electricity will be cut tonight at 9:30 PM

An SMS or WhatsApp claiming to be from your electricity board (BSES, MSEDCL, BESCOM, etc.) says your supply will be disconnected tonight because of an unpaid bill. A "linesman" or "officer" then calls and asks you to install Quick Support or AnyDesk to fix the payment.

Also known as: electricity disconnection SMS, DISCOM scam, tonight at 9:30 PM bill scam

Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes

Call 1930 now

1 Call 1930 — the national cyber-crime helpline — right now. The sooner you report, the better the chance of freezing the money before it moves.

2 Call your bank to freeze the account and block the card immediately. Use the number printed on your card, never a number from the message or caller.

3 File a report at cybercrime.gov.in and keep every message, screenshot, and transaction ID.

! If you installed any "support", "server", "refund", or remote-access app at their request (AnyDesk, TeamViewer, Quick Support, etc.): disconnect the internet now, then run free SeraphSecure (https://www.seraphsecure.com) to detect and remove it.

What to do right now

1 Do not install any app the caller suggests. Real electricity boards have their own published apps; install them from the Play Store, not from links sent over WhatsApp

2 Hang up. Look up your electricity board's official customer-care number (printed on a previous bill) and call them to verify

3 Real disconnection always follows multiple written notices over weeks — not a same-day SMS

4 If you installed any 'support' or 'server' or 'refund app' or remote-access app at the scammer's request (AnyDesk, TeamViewer, Quick Support, etc.), run free SeraphSecure (https://www.seraphsecure.com) to detect and remove it.

5 Report at https://cybercrime.gov.in or call 1930 (national cyber helpline).

Red flags

⚠ Real electricity boards never send WhatsApp messages with a personal phone number to contact

⚠ The amount is small (₹500-₹2,000) and the deadline is unreasonably short (tonight, in 2 hours)

⚠ Caller asks you to install AnyDesk, Quick Support, RustDesk, or a 'KSEB / BESCOM customer app' that's an APK

⚠ Caller asks you to make a 'test payment' of ₹1 or ₹10 via UPI to 'register your meter number'

The electricity disconnection scam is one of the highest-volume tech-support scams in India. It works because most people pay their electricity bills late at least sometimes and are willing to believe an urgent disconnect threat.

The single biggest tell: the scammer always asks you to install a remote-access app (AnyDesk, Quick Support, RustDesk). Real DISCOMs never do this. Once the app is installed, they read your screen, capture OTPs, and drain your bank account in minutes.

If you have already installed something the caller suggested: power off your phone or laptop now. From a different device, change your banking passwords and call your bank’s fraud line. Then run SeraphSecure to remove the remote-access app. Report at cybercrime.gov.in and call 1930.

Known variants

BSES/MSEDCL/BESCOM linesman variant — caller claims to be a field linesman about to physically disconnect, gives a fake 'officer number' to call back, then walks the victim through installing AnyDesk.

Last seen: 5/14/2026

Prepaid meter update APK (2026): scammer sends WhatsApp link to a fake DISCOM customer app .apk. Victim installs after a ₹13 test payment via PhonePe; APK captures OTPs and drains accounts. Delhi case: ₹20 lakh lost; Karnataka 190% APK fraud surge in 4 months of 2026.

Last seen: 5/22/2026

Water board impersonation (Hyderabad HMWSSB, June 2026): WhatsApp/SMS claims water supply will be suspended due to an unpaid CAN verification or meter reading. A small test payment of ₹10–₹20 is requested first, then an APK or QuickSupport link is sent. The app silently intercepts OTPs and drains UPI accounts. Cyberabad Police issued a public advisory.

Last seen: 6/7/2026

Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes

What to do right now

Red flags

Known variants

Sources