LPG delivery scams rise: HPCL, IOC, BPCL warn customers on OTP fraud
Synopsis
India's three state-owned oil marketers have simultaneously flagged a coordinated wave of LPG delivery scams — fake SMS, WhatsApp messages, and phone calls designed to steal OTPs and DACs from household gas consumers. The scam is evolving: callers now invoke KYC deadlines and Aadhaar-linking threats to manufacture urgency.
Key Takeaways
HPCL , IOC , and BPCL have issued simultaneous advisories warning of rising LPG delivery scams targeting domestic consumers.
Fraudsters send fake SMS and WhatsApp messages mimicking official delivery notifications to steal OTPs and DACs .
HPCL clarified that official delivery messages come only from sender name 'VM-HPGASc-S' and contain a four-digit OTP used solely at the time of cylinder delivery.
Indian Oil urged customers to share their six-digit DAC only with Indane delivery personnel after they physically arrive at the doorstep.
Consumers should book cylinders only through official apps — IndianOil One , HPPay , or Hello BPCL — and avoid responding to messages from personal mobile numbers.
Victims must call the National Cyber Crime Helpline at 1930 within the "golden hour" to maximise chances of freezing stolen funds.
State-owned oil marketing companies — Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) — have issued urgent advisories warning domestic LPG consumers of a sharp rise in delivery scams, in which fraudsters impersonate official gas agency personnel to extract One-Time Passwords (OTPs) and Delivery Authentication Codes (DACs). The warnings, posted on the companies' official social media handles, come amid a surge in cyber fraud targeting household gas subscribers across India.
How the Scam Works
Fraudsters are sending fake SMS and WhatsApp messages that closely mimic official delivery notifications, tricking customers into divulging sensitive codes. In several reported cases, callers posed as gas agency executives claiming that KYC updates or Aadhaar linking were required to prevent
Point of View
Scalable operation exploiting the trust consumers place in official delivery systems. What makes these scams particularly effective is the layering of urgency: KYC deadlines, Aadhaar-linking threats, and disconnection warnings are classic social-engineering triggers that override rational caution. The oil companies' response, while welcome, remains reactive. A proactive fix would be a standardised, verifiable sender-ID regime enforced across all three OMCs — not just HPCL — so consumers have a single, unmistakable format to cross-check. Until that happens, the advisory burden falls entirely on consumers who may not read official social media posts.
NationPress
12 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the LPG delivery scam that HPCL, IOC, and BPCL have warned about?
It is a cyber fraud in which scammers send fake SMS or WhatsApp messages impersonating official gas delivery services to trick consumers into sharing OTPs or Delivery Authentication Codes. The fraudsters sometimes also call posing as gas agency staff, citing fake KYC or Aadhaar-linking deadlines to create urgency.
How can I identify a genuine LPG delivery message from HPCL?
HPCL has clarified that official delivery messages come only from the sender name 'VM-HPGASc-S' and contain a four-digit OTP used exclusively at the time of cylinder delivery. Any message arriving from a personal number or an unrecognised sender ID should be treated as suspicious.
When should I share my OTP or DAC with the delivery person?
You should share your OTP or DAC only when the delivery personnel physically arrives at your doorstep. Indian Oil specifically advises that the six-digit DAC for Indane cylinders must never be shared over a phone call or message, only in person at the time of delivery.
What should I do if I have already shared my OTP or lost money to a scam?
Call the National Cyber Crime Helpline at 1930 immediately. Acting within the 'golden hour' of the fraud significantly increases the chances of authorities freezing the stolen funds before they are transferred further.
Which apps are safe to use for booking LPG cylinders?
The three OMCs recommend booking cylinders and updating personal details only through their official applications — IndianOil One, HPPay, and Hello BPCL — or their verified official websites. Consumers should avoid acting on communications received from personal mobile numbers via WhatsApp or SMS.
