ISLAMABAD: Electricity consumers across Pakistan have been placed on high alert after the Ministry of Energy’s Power Division issued a serious warning regarding fraudulent schemes designed to steal personal and financial information under the false promise of government electricity subsidies. Officials said cybercriminals are exploiting public interest in subsidy programmes and using deceptive tactics to target citizens on a large scale.
According to the advisory issued by the Power Division, criminal elements are circulating fake links and suspicious QR codes while pretending to represent official government subsidy platforms. Consumers are reportedly being encouraged to follow a step by step process where they are asked to provide personal details before entering a six digit verification code. Authorities fear many people may unknowingly hand over sensitive information to fraud networks.
Officials stressed that these methods are being used solely for illegal data collection and have no connection with the government’s actual electricity support system. The Power Division warned citizens that no subsidy related information should be submitted through unofficial websites, random links or third party digital platforms claiming to offer registration services.
The spokesperson for the Power Division said several groups were actively using QR codes for malicious activities and misleading the public. Authorities clarified that any attempt to collect electricity consumer data outside officially approved channels is illegal and punishable under the law. Relevant law enforcement agencies have also been informed and action is expected against those involved.
Citizens have been strongly advised not to share any personal information either online or in physical form with unauthorised individuals or organisations claiming to process subsidy requests. Officials urged people to verify every communication before responding and avoid engaging with suspicious messages.
Meanwhile, the ministry also confirmed that a technical issue affecting the official website over the past two days has been resolved after increasing server capacity. Authorities added that the QR registration system is operating normally and more than one million users have already completed the registration process successfully.
