ISLAMABAD: Hackers have become active under the guise of a government electricity subsidy scheme, targeting consumers through QR codes on electricity bills, according to a warning issued by the Power Division.
A spokesperson for the Power Division said there is a growing risk of personal data theft from electricity consumers through fraudulent QR codes placed on bills in the name of subsidy registration.
The spokesperson explained that users are being directed to click on a suspicious link and share their personal information in four steps. After entering the required details, users are also asked to input a six-digit code on the same link.
Officials warned that certain elements are allegedly using QR codes to carry out malicious activities and obtain sensitive consumer data. They clarified that no electricity-related information is required or allowed to be submitted on any platform other than official billing systems.
The Power Division termed this method of collecting information as false, illegal, and part of a scam. It further stated that law enforcement agencies have been informed about the criminal elements involved.
Consumers have been strictly advised not to share any personal information, either digitally or on paper, for subsidy purposes outside official government channels.
Meanwhile, the Power Division has launched a mandatory digital verification system for electricity consumers in Punjab using up to 200 units per month, in a latest move aimed at tightening subsidy eligibility.
Under the new system, households that fail to complete online verification risk losing access to subsidized electricity tariffs, which could increase per-unit rates from around Rs17–20 to nearly Rs38–40.
Officials said the initiative is designed to ensure that power subsidies are provided only to genuinely eligible consumers, after investigations revealed misuse of the scheme through multiple meters registered on a single property to stay below the 200-unit limit.
