Cyber fraudsters have found a new way to enter city households — cooking gas connections. In the past week alone, nearly a dozen cases of fraud targeting Piped Natural Gas (PNG) consumers have been reported. Police said such cases are now being registered almost daily across Mumbai, indicating a rapidly growing and organised cybercrime trend.

The fraud specifically targets users of Mahanagar Gas Ltd (MGL), particularly those accustomed to digital payments. Officials said the victims include professionals, senior citizens, and corporate employees. “Even educated users are getting trapped because the communication appears legitimate and urgent,” an officer added.