Hyderabad: CP V C Sajjanar warns of gas KYC cyber fraud
HYDERABAD: City Police Commissioner V C Sajjanar on March 14, 2026 warned residents about cyber fraud carried out in the name of gas connection Know Your Customer (KYC) updates and urgent gas bookings.
He said cyber criminals are exploiting concerns about possible gas cylinder shortages to cheat people and siphon money from their bank accounts.
Fraudsters send APK files through WhatsApp, SMS links
Sajjanar said clicking unknown links sent through WhatsApp or SMS for KYC updates, or installing APK files sent by fraudsters, is highly dangerous.
He explained that once the small application sent by criminals is installed, control of the mobile phone can pass into their hands. Through this access, bank One Time Passwords (OTPs) and confidential messages received on the phone are redirected to cyber criminals.
Two women lose ₹4 lakh in Dombivli fraud case
He cited a recent case in Dombivli, Maharashtra, where cyber criminals posed as representatives of a gas company and called two women.
“They convinced the women to update their KYC immediately and sent an APK file through WhatsApp. The women were asked to download the file and fill out the form in the app. Once they installed the app and entered their details, ₹4 lakh was withdrawn from their bank accounts,” Sajjanar said.
He urged the public to remain extremely cautious about such fraud attempts.
The commissioner also advised people not to trust advertisements on social media claiming immediate cylinder delivery or additional gas cylinders.
Messages asking people to pay money in advance for gas delivery should be treated as cyber fraud, he said. People should not share bank account details, OTPs or Unified Payments Interface (UPI) PINs with unknown individuals under any circumstances.
For gas bookings or KYC updates, Sajjanar advised residents to use only official mobile applications and websites of authorised gas companies.
If in doubt, people should contact their gas agency directly by visiting the office. He said public awareness and caution are the most effective safeguards against online fraud.
Anyone who falls victim to such cyber fraud should immediately call the National Cyber Crime Helpline 1930 or lodge a complaint on the Union government’s official portal cybercrime.gov.in, he added.
