Bill top-up | how time pressure works in a fake text

A message built on fear

"Your balance shows an outstanding amount of $8.40. Failure to pay by end of day will result in service suspension. Settle your payment: [link]." This type of message works differently from the parcel scam text | it doesn't rely on the amount seeming harmless, but on fear of a serious consequence: losing power at home.

It's a very effective trick, because it touches something genuinely important to most people | the continuity of basic services. Fear of losing electricity or gas can make even a cautious person click a link without thinking twice.

Why this isn't how it really works

Real electricity and gas providers have clearly defined, weeks-long procedures for overdue payments. They notify customers by post, through the official customer app, or during a call the customer themselves initiates | never by text with a link and a same-day threat.

A sudden service cutoff "within a few hours" based on a single text message simply doesn't happen. That procedure doesn't exist. If a message suggests otherwise, it's fake.

How to check whether you actually owe anything

Don't click the link in the message. Instead, log in to your customer account on the provider's official website, typing the address yourself, or use the app you already have installed. If you genuinely have an outstanding balance, you'll see it there, with the exact amount and due date.

You can also simply call your provider's customer service line | you'll find the number on a previous paper bill or the official website, not in a suspicious message.

Three warning signs worth remembering

• A threat of immediate consequences ("today", "within hours")
• A link leading to a site outside the provider's official domain
• An amount that doesn't match your usual bills, or one you don't remember at all

How we practise this in the ODYSSEY course

In the "Recognise the scam" module you go through a similar scenario step by step | learning to spot emotional language, practising going to a website yourself without clicking a link, and comparing the sender with the provider's official channel.