Tech Desk 
Nov 10, 2024
A fake website allegedly run by the Punjab Government has been spotted deceiving innocent citizens into free solar panel distribution schemes on WhatsApp, X and Facebook.
Free solar panel scam target low-income households
The site requests victims to give them their ID card numbers and monthly electricity bills, subsequently claiming to register them and promising free solar panels.
Stating that the registration deadline is 10 November, the scammers running the website often target those who are consuming 100 to 500 electricity units monthly.
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However, the website is declared to be false by cybersecurity specialists and government officials.
Authorities identified the accounts to be fake, noting that their only purpose was to mislead citizens to obtain their private information.
Solar panel scam mirroring Roshan Gharana Program
The fake solar panel scheme programme was an imitation of the government-backed, authentic programme called the “Roshan Gharana Program,” which was introduced by the Punjab government in March.
The programme was launched to distribute 50,000 solar panels among low-income households.
The project director Adnan Mudar stated that the registration for this programme has not yet begun, adding that none of the websites circulating news are operated by the government.
Mudar emphasised that when the registration of the programme goes live, the government will inform the public through official media firms. He advises innocent citizens to be cautious and avoid sharing their private data with unauthorised sites.
