'If you don't pay the power bill...': She lost Rs 43,000 after getting this message

Pune: A 56-year-old woman from Bavdhan recently lost Rs 43,000 to cyber crooks in a power bill update fraud.
An officer from the Hinjewadi police told TOI that the woman was working with a private company and lives in Bavdhan. “On December 13, she received a message that she did not pay the power bill for November. She was asked to contact a cellphone number mentioned in the message and warned her power connection will be snapped otherwise,” he said.

The woman immediately contacted that number and said she had already paid the bill. “The person, who posed as an official from the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution and Supply Company Limited (MSEDCL) told the woman that it was not showing in their system. He sent her link on an app and told her to check her bill in that app,” he said.
The officer said the woman downloaded the app but was unable to check the bill. When she contacted the man again, he told her to transfer Rs 100 through the app. “The woman did not agree. The man told her that after the payment she would be able to check her bill. The man assured her that Rs 100 will be deducted from her next bill.”
The woman then transferred the amount using her debit card. Within a few minutes Rs 43,000 was debited. “When she checked the settings of her cellphone, she found that her data had been transferred to an unknown cellphone number,” the officer said.