UPI Payments to Resume in Two Weeks
Hyderabad: In light of rising cyber fraud incidents, the Southern Power Distribution Company of Telangana Limited (TGSPDCL) has temporarily suspended its plan to introduce QR code-based payments for electricity bills. The facility, initially designed to simplify the payment process by eliminating the need for entering the Unique Service Connection (USC) number, has been put on hold due to concerns over potential misuse by cybercriminals.
Last month, TGSPDCL had announced the discontinuation of direct bill payments through third-party apps (UPIs) starting in August, with plans to replace this system with QR code payments. However, the company has reconsidered this decision after receiving reports of cyber fraud targeting electricity consumers.
TGSPDCL Chairman and Managing Director Musharraf Ali Faruqui explained that the move to suspend QR codes was made to protect consumers from potential scams. “Cyber fraudsters could clone the QR codes and defraud unsuspecting consumers, leading to a major scam. To prevent this, we have decided against issuing QR codes along with the power bills,” he said.
The decision comes after multiple reports of fraudsters using SMS and WhatsApp messages to trick consumers into downloading malicious files or sharing personal information under the guise of electricity KYC updates. These scams have resulted in significant financial losses for some victims.
TGSPDCL has issued repeated warnings to consumers, urging them to avoid clicking on suspicious links and to use only authorized platforms for bill payments. The company is also working to resolve issues with UPI payments, with the goal of resuming this payment method within the next two weeks.
“We are actively addressing the concerns, and if all goes well, UPI payments will be available for power bills soon,” Faruqui added.
