Hyderabad police warn against water bill scam targeting residents

The alert was issued by the Hyderabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar via social media, urging citizens to remain vigilant and avoid falling prey to such tactics.

Hyderabad: The Hyderabad City Police has cautioned residents against a new cyber fraud in which scammers pose as water board officials to extort money.

According to the police, fraudsters are calling citizens, claiming their water bills are pending and threatening to disconnect the supply if payment is not made immediately. Victims are then sent a malicious file named “HMWSSB WATER BILL UPDATE.apk” and are persuaded to install it on their mobile phones.

Officials said that once the APK file is installed, scammers gain complete control over the victim’s device. This allows them to divert calls, monitor screen activity, and access sensitive information, including OTPs used for banking transactions, leading to financial losses within minutes.

The alert was issued by the Hyderabad Police Commissioner VC Sajjanar via social media, urging citizens to remain vigilant and avoid falling prey to such tactics.

Residents have been advised not to download or install APK files received from unknown sources. Authorities stressed that water bills should only be paid through official platforms of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB).

In case of suspicious calls, citizens are urged to report the matter immediately to the police. Victims of cyber fraud can dial 1930 or lodge a complaint on the official cybercrime portal.

Police reiterated that awareness and caution are key to preventing such cybercrimes and urged the public to verify all payment-related communications before taking any action.