Hyderabad: City Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar warned of a water bill scam in Hyderabad, flagging fraudulent calls and malicious mobile applications targeting bank data.
He said cyber offenders posed as Water Board officials and called residents with threats of disconnection. They claimed pending dues and demanded immediate payment. As a result, victims acted in panic and complied quickly.
Water bill scam uses fake APK to steal bank OTPs
According to the Commissioner, callers sent a link labelled “HMWSSB WATER BILL UPDATE.apk”. They then asked users to download and install the file. However, once users installed it, attackers gained full control of the device.
He said the malware diverted calls and continuously monitored screens. It then captured OTPs linked to banking transactions. Consequently, fraudsters accessed accounts and withdrew money within minutes.
Sajjanar urged residents not to panic over such threats. Instead, he advised users to avoid installing APK files from unknown sources. He said residents must pay water bills only through official websites or authorised mobile applications.
Further, he asked citizens to report suspicious calls without delay. In case of fraud, victims should immediately dial 1930 or file a complaint on the cybercrime portal.
He cautioned that such traps can drain hard-earned money within minutes.
వాటర్ బోర్డు బిల్లుల పేరుతో మోసాలు.. జాగ్రత్త!!
హైదరాబాద్ నగరంలో వాటర్ బోర్డు బిల్లుల పేరుతో సైబర్ నేరగాళ్లు కొత్త తరహా మోసాలకు తెరలేపారు. “మీ నీటి బిల్లు బకాయి ఉంది. వెంటనే డబ్బులు చెల్లించకపోతే వాటర్ కనెక్షన్ కట్ చేస్తాం.” అంటూ వాటర్ బోర్డు అధికారుల పేరుతో ఫోన్ చేసి ప్రజలను… pic.twitter.com/WkWUIGhJlg
— V.C. Sajjanar, IPS (@SajjanarVC_IPS) April 11, 2026