Bhubaneswar: Odisha police have issued an advisory, urging residents to stay alert against cybercriminals, attempting to exploit public concerns over the ongoing LPG cylinder shortage, which has been exacerbated by the conflict in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, and the United States.
The crisis stems from disruptions in global LPG supplies, primarily due to halted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for India’s imports, which account for around 90% of its LPG needs from West Asia.
Early March saw panic booking, long queues at distribution centres and even black-marketing concerns in some areas. While the central government and oil companies have assured adequate domestic supplies and taken steps like boosting local production and curbing hoarding, rumours of scarcity have spread rapidly, creating fertile ground for fraudsters, pushing for fake KYC updates or emergency bookings.
“Although no specific complaints have been filed yet in Odisha, fraudulent messages and links pertaining to LPG availability have been detectd. Fraudsters may claim that immediate verification or registration is required for a cylinder, pushing victims to interact with harmful content and also pressuring people to share personal details, bank information, or OTPs,” TOI reported, quoting Crime Branch SP Smit Parmar.
A particular red flag is files with the “.apk” extension, which can install malware on Android devices, granting criminals access to passwords, banking apps, and financial accounts. “Such breaches can lead to direct financial losses as fraudsters siphon money from compromised accounts. We advise citizens to verify information only through official gas agency channels and avoid sharing personal or financial details with unknown callers,” he added.
In Jharsuguda district, SP Gundala Reddy Raghavendra shared an awareness graphic on X (formerly Twitter) highlighting how scammers exploit panic by sending fake links for gas booking or supply confirmations. The post stressed the need for skepticism and vigilance.
ବର୍ତ୍ତମାନ LPG ବୁକିଂ ନାମରେ ସାଇବର ଠକେଇ ଘଟଣା ବଢ଼ୁଛି। LPG ବୁକିଂ ପାଇଁ କେବଳ ଅଧିକୃତ ଆପ୍, ୱେବସାଇଟ୍ ଓ ନମ୍ବର ବ୍ୟବହାର କରନ୍ତୁ। ଭୁଆ ଲିଙ୍କ କିମ୍ବା QR କୋଡ୍ ସ୍କାନ୍ କରିବା ବର୍ଜନ କରନ୍ତୁ। ସାଇବର ଠକେଇ ଘଟିଲେ ତୁରନ୍ତ 1930 ରେ ଫୋନ୍ କରନ୍ତୁ କିମ୍ବା https://t.co/ODI2jXxPnk ରେ ଅଭିଯୋଗ କରନ୍ତୁ। pic.twitter.com/XIldL5Ss6V
— SP Jharsuguda (@SPJharsuguda) March 18, 2026
People have been advised to report suspicious activity immediately to the national cyber crime helpline (1930) or local police stations.
