The government of India as implemented new rules under the ‘Natural Gas and Petroleum Products Distribution Order, 2026’ in March 2026. According to this, consumers in areas where PNG (Piped Natural Gas) facility is available must obtain a PNG connection within three months. Failure to do so will result in the suspension of LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) supply. Following this decision, connections are being rapidly taken in areas with PNG pipelines. Cyber fraudsters are exploiting this fear to commit fraud. This fraud is happening to customers of ‘Indraprastha Gas Limited’ (IGL), the country’s leading gas distribution company. In view of the threat, IGL has issued an alert and advised its consumers to be vigilant. Therefore, in the ‘Cyber Literacy’ column today, we will discuss this scam happening in the name of PNG. We will also learn how are fraudsters carrying out this scam and what to do if you accidentally fall victim to the scam? Question- What is ‘PNG Gas Scam’? Answer- This is cyber fraud, in which fraudsters make fake SMS or calls in the name of PNG gas company. The message states, ‘Your gas connection will be disconnected soon, so pay the outstanding bill immediately.’ Fraudsters take advantage of fear and urgency to get payments done. Question- How are fraudsters carrying out this scam? Answer- Fraudsters are carrying out this scam very cleverly by creating fear and urgency among people. They claim to be IGL officials and mislead people. Understand this with a graphic- Question- What has IGL recently said by issuing an alert? Answer- ‘Indraprastha Gas Limited’ has said that fraudsters are sending fake messages in their name. Therefore, do not trust unknown calls, payments or links and always verify the source. Question- In which cities/areas is this scam more prevalent? Answer- This scam is more prevalent wherever IGL’s service is available. For example- Additionally, similar PNG scam cases have also emerged from Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, where people have been defrauded in the name of other gas companies. This means that this scam is happening where PNG connections are more prevalent. Question – Who are the fraudsters targeting in this scam? Answer – This scam specifically targets people who use PNG gas and make online payments. Such as- Question – What mistakes do people make that cause them to fall into scammers’ traps? Answer – People fall into scammers’ traps due to some common mistakes in the name of PNG. See all the mistakes in the graphic- Now let’s discuss these mistakes in detail. Mistake No 1. Making decisions out of fear and haste Lesson – Stop and think. Don’t take immediate action. Mistake No 2. Trusting unknown calls/messages Lesson – Always verify the source. Mistake No 3. Sharing OTP Lesson – Never share OTP and PIN with anyone. Mistake No 4. Not understanding the difference between QR code/payment request Lesson- Read the words on the screen carefully before making a payment. Mistake No 5. Clicking on fake links Lesson- Do not click on any link. Mistake No 6. Installing remote access apps Lesson- Do not install any unknown app. Mistake No 7. Lack of Cyber Awareness Lesson- Keep yourself updated and aware. Mistake No 8. Not Cross-Checking Lesson- Always confirm from an official source. Question- Does IGL ever send a message to disconnect the connection? Answer- If you have not paid the bill for a long time, IGL gives notice through process-based and official channels. Understand with pointers- How does IGL communicate? Due/Overdue Notice Notice Before Disconnection See in the graphic below what IGL does not do- Question- What things should be kept in mind while making PNG bill payment? Answer- Keep some things in mind- Question- What to do if you accidentally fall victim to a scam? Answer- In such a situation-
