Cybercriminals posing as HMWSSB officials dupe residents through fake meter update messages | #cybercrime | #infosec

The cyber crime wing of Cyberabad police warned citizens about a growing online fraud in which cybercriminals are impersonating officials of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) to steal money from unsuspecting residents.

According to the police, fraudsters are contacting people through WhatsApp messages, SMS and phone calls, falsely claiming that their water bills have not been updated, meter readings are pending, CAN number verification is incomplete, or that their water connection is about to be disconnected.

Using these claims to create panic, the fraudsters persuade victims to download applications or APK files, including remote-access tools such as QuickSupport. In some cases, victims are also asked to make small payments of ₹10, ₹13 or ₹20 to resolve the purported issue.

Police said the fraud begins once the victim installs the application or follows instructions provided by the scammers. Victims have reported their mobile phones becoming unresponsive or behaving abnormally, while others were guided through banking or UPI transactions during video calls.

Investigations revealed that the downloaded applications are often malware or remote-access tools that allow cybercriminals to gain access to victims’ devices. Through these applications, fraudsters can monitor mobile screens, intercept OTPs and SMS messages, obtain banking and UPI credentials, misuse credit card information and carry out unauthorised financial transactions.

According to recently registered complaints, victims have suffered losses ranging from a few thousand rupees to several lakh rupees.

The police advised the public not to trust unsolicited messages or calls claiming to be from HMWSSB and cautioned against downloading APK files received through messaging platforms. Residents have also been urged not to install remote-access applications such as QuickSupport or AnyDesk at the request of unknown persons and never to share OTPs, UPI PINs, CVV numbers or banking passwords.

Officials said citizens should verify water bill and connection-related information only through official HMWSSB channels.

Victims have been advised to disconnect internet services, remove suspicious applications, block banking and UPI services, change passwords and contact the national cybercrime helpline 1930 or lodge complaints through the National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal.