Cyber fraudsters posing as employees of Indraprastha Gas Limited (IGL) allegedly duped a 61-year-old woman in Greater Noida of over ₹21 lakh by threatening to disconnect her PNG gas connection and sending a fraudulent payment link.
Police have registered a case and launched an investigation into the incident, which highlights the growing trend of utility-service impersonation scams targeting senior citizens.
Fraudsters posed as IGL staff
According to the complaint, the victim, a resident of a housing society in Greater Noida West, received a phone call from a person claiming to be an employee of IGL.
The caller told her that her PNG gas bill was pending and warned that the connection would be disconnected immediately if payment was not made.
Amid reports of gas supply issues at the time, the threat of disconnection reportedly caused panic, making the victim more likely to comply with the instructions.
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Fake payment link used for phishing
The caller then sent the woman a fraudulent payment link and instructed her to pay the bill immediately through it.
Believing the call to be genuine, the victim clicked the link and entered sensitive details including her bank account information and other credentials.
Shortly after submitting the information, unauthorized transactions began taking place from her bank account.
Money siphoned off in multiple transactions
Within minutes, the fraudsters allegedly withdrew money from the victim’s account in 11 separate transactions, resulting in a total loss of ₹21,26,835.
Investigators said the funds were reportedly transferred to various accounts and used for credit card payments and other transactions.
The victim realised she had been defrauded after receiving multiple debit alerts on her phone and immediately reported the matter to the police and the national cybercrime portal.
Police begin investigation
Cybercrime police have registered an FIR against unidentified suspects and begun analysing bank transactions, phone records, and digital trails linked to the fraudulent link.
Authorities have also warned citizens to remain cautious about unsolicited calls demanding urgent payments, particularly those claiming to be from gas companies, banks, or government departments.
Officials advised people not to click on unknown payment links or share banking information over the phone, and to report suspicious activity to the national cybercrime helpline 1930.
About the author – Ayesha Aayat is a law student and contributor covering cybercrime, online frauds, and digital safety concerns. Her writing aims to raise awareness about evolving cyber threats and legal responses.
