Lokmat News Network
Aurangabad, Jan 19:
The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL, Aurangabad Zone) has alerted its consumers stating that they should not respond to any messages or calls stating about the disconnection of power or pay bills.
The fake message reading 'The power supply will be cut off at 9.30 pm tonight due to non-update of last month's electricity bill. Contact immediately the accompanying personal mobile number' is being circulated for the last many days.
According to the press release, " MSEDCL does not send any such SMS or WhatsApp messages. Hence the consumers should not respond to these messages and calls made from different personal mobile numbers. If a link is sent from a personal mobile number to pay the bill, ignore it as well. All these are fake and can lead to financial fraud."
MSEDCL sends SMS in special cases
The release added, " MSEDCL sends 'SMS' through its system only to registered consumers with mobile number and its Sender ID is 'MSEDCL' (e.g. VM-MSEDCL, VK-MSEDCL). Moreover, the consumers are never informed to contact any official's personal mobile number. The power entity only sends SMS to inform about its pre-planned maintenance and repair works to be undertaken due to technical or other reasons, the probable duration of the power outage, as well as the amount of monthly electricity bills, appeals to consumers to send their own meter readings, date of meter reading and a total number of units consumed, electricity bill amount, the due date of the bill, disconnection notice etc."
MSEDCL appealed to feel free in contacting them in case of any queries on the 24 x 7 toll-free number 1912, 18001023435 or 18002333435 or the nearest office of MSEDCL, added the release.