The Ministry of Energy’s Power Division on Friday warned electricity consumers against fraudulent activities being carried out by hackers and criminal elements under the guise of a government subsidy scheme.

In an advisory issued for consumers, the Power Division spokesperson said certain elements were attempting to steal users’ personal information through fake QR codes and suspicious online links related to electricity bill subsidies.

The spokesperson said consumers were being asked to click on a specific link and share personal information through a four-step process. After entering the details, users were further asked to provide a six-digit verification code on the same link.

The spokesperson cautioned that such methods were illegal and fraudulent, adding that some elements were using QR codes to achieve malicious objectives.

The Power Division urged consumers not to enter their personal information either digitally or on paper for obtaining electricity subsidies.

The spokesperson further said law enforcement agencies had been informed about the activities of the criminal elements involved in the scam.