Alert: Viral Message Threatening To Discontinue Electricity Is Fake

FACT CHECK: A notification claiming that the power connection of customers will be disconnected at 9 pm on Sunday night if their previous month's bill has not been updated has gone viral on social media. "Your electricity power connection will be disconnected tonight 9 PM. Because your previous month bill was not updated, please immediately call our electricity officer Mr Devesh Joshi," claimed the fake viral message.

CLAIM: The fake message further claimed that it is the primary duty of the Ministry of Power to keep the customers updated. Providing fake information on how to update the bill, the suspicious note from the Ministry of Power read, "Now you can update your bill by just calling our electricity helpline number. To update your bill call our electricity helpline number: 08100551***." The message with the subject line "Notice for Consumer regarding to update your bill immediately" was signed by a certain Devesh Joshi with the designation mentioned as the Chief Electricity Officer.

FACT: It is pertinent to note that Indian Government's Press Information Bureau (PIB) has issued several clarifications in the past against similar messages. One look at the message is indicative enough of the fact that the same fake message has been circulated time and again in a bid to dupe consumers. In February, 2023, the PIB had warned the consumers against a similar message, which was signed by the same Mr Devesh Joshi, that was doing the rounds as seen in the tweet above. The message remained the same with a similar subject line claiming that the power connection will be disconnected by 9 pm. The only difference was the contact number given was different. 

Providing clarity, the PIB said, "This is a scam. Ministry of Power has not issued this notice."