State-owned oil marketing companies — Hindustan Petroleum (HPCL), Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL), and Bharat Petroleum (BPCL) — have jointly sounded the alarm over a rising wave of LPG delivery scams.
They also warned consumers that fraudsters are impersonating official gas delivery services to extract sensitive authentication codes.
The advisories, issued on their official social media handles, come amid a broader surge in cyber fraud targeting domestic LPG consumers across the country.
As per the warning, the fraudsters are sending fake SMS messages and WhatsApp texts mimicking official LPG delivery notifications to trick consumers into sharing their One-Time Passwords (OTPs) or Delivery Authentication Codes (DACs).
In some cases, callers claim to be "gas agency executives" asking for KYC updates or Aadhaar linking to avoid "disconnection," eventually demanding an OTP to "verify" the request.
HPCL, in its post, laid out a clear checklist for customers to verify authenticity: the official delivery message will always come from the sender name 'VM-HPGASc-S', contain a 4-digit OTP, and be used exclusively at the time of cylinder delivery. "HP Gas representatives will never ask for OTPs over phone calls, WhatsApp messages, or suspicious links," the company stated. "If the message feels urgent, unfamiliar, or looks different from the official format, do not trust it."
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Indian Oil urged customers to share their 6-digit DAC only with Indane delivery personnel at the doorstep — and nowhere else.
BPCL echoed the warning, reminding consumers that "sharing OTP only at the time of delivery" is the one rule that keeps them safe.
How To Stay Safe
Consumers are advised to book cylinders or update details only through official apps — IndianOil One, HPPay, or Hello BPCL — or verified websites, and should be wary of communications arriving from personal mobile numbers via WhatsApp.
If you have accidentally shared details or lost money, call on National Cyber Crime Helpline at 1930 immediately — reporting within the "golden hour" increases the chances of freezing stolen funds.
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