Home
Apps
Apps News
New Year 2026 Scam Alert: This WhatsApp Greeting Could Wipe Your Bank Account

New Year 2026 Scam Alert: This WhatsApp Greeting Could Wipe Your Bank Account

Cybercriminals can leverage this scam to steal your personal and banking data, compromise user privacy, and install malware on the phone.

Written by Shaurya Tomer, Edited by Ketan Pratap | Updated: 31 December 2025 16:00 IST

New Year 2026 Scam Alert: This WhatsApp Greeting Could Wipe Your Bank Account

Photo Credit: Pexels/ Anton

Scammers are said to be targeting users via SMS or a WhatsApp message

Click Here to Add Gadgets360 As A Trusted Source

Highlights

Fraudulent links promise custom New Year cards but deliver malicious APKs
Attackers may gain control of devices and compromise user privacy
Victims should report incidents via 1930 or cybercrime.gov.in

Cybercriminals are once again exploiting the festive mood, as we head into the new year, to target unsuspecting smartphone users in India. A new scam is said to be doing the rounds, which claims to let users create personalised New Year greeting cards. But instead, it delivers a malicious APK file which can compromise smartphones to steal personal information, cause financial losses, and compromise user privacy. The advisory, issued by the Hyderabad Cyber Crimes Unit, mentions that the fraudulent links are being widely circulated via WhatsApp, SMS, and social media platforms.

New Year 2026 Scam: How It Happens

According to the advisory, the New Year greeting scam is designed to prey on unsuspecting users who simply want to share New Year wishes with friends and family. Users typically receive a message via SMS or WhatsApp, which prompts them to tap a link to generate a personalised New Year greeting card with their name or photos.

⚠️ Scam Alert! Messages offering a “personalized” New Year card via links or .apk files can install malware. Don't click, don't download—report & block immediately. Stay alert this festive season! 🎁📱 #CyberSecurity #WhatsAppScam #1930 #cybercrimespshyderabad #onlinesafety… pic.twitter.com/Gc1jKjaPsF
— Cyber Crimes Unit Hyderabad (@CyberCrimeshyd) December 31, 2025

If the user clicks on the link, they are redirected to a webpage that prompts them to download an APK file, which is disguised with festive names such as Happy New Year.apk. While it may appear harmless, installing the APK can inject malware and give threat actors access to sensitive information stored on the device, turning a simple attempt to send a New Year greeting into a financial and privacy risk with serious consequences.

As per the Hyderabad Cyber Crimes Unit, cybercriminals can leverage this scam to steal your personal and banking data, compromise user privacy, install malware on the phone, and even provide cybercriminals control of the device.

New Year 2026 Scam: How to Protect Yourself

To mitigate such scenarios, users are advised to:

Avoid clicking on unknown links
Never install APK files from messages or an unknown source
Download apps only from official sources, like the Google Play Store
Verify before trusting apps with their data

If users suspect they have encountered or fallen victim to the New Year greeting scam, they are recommended to contact the national cybercrime helpline at 1930 or file a complaint online via the cybercrime.gov.in portal. Prompt reporting can help limit financial losses and aid investigations, as per the cybercrimes unit.

GhostPairing Attack on WhatsApp

In recent weeks, security researchers have also warned about another cyber campaign called GhostPairing. It is claimed to allow attackers to silently take over WhatsApp accounts without compromising passwords or attempting SIM-swapping techniques. As per reports, it exploits the device linking capability of WhatsApp to trick users into approving a malicious device linkage.

While device linking usually happens via either QR code or numeric pairing code, researchers suggest that the latter is more common.

This usually begins with a short message received by users from a contact, which contains a link directing them to a Facebook photo. Once clicked, it redirects them to a spoofed Facebook login page that asks for their login credentials, such as a phone number. The next screen allegedly shows a numeric code, with instructions guiding them to enter it on WhatsApp. Instead, the attacker's browser gets added as a linked device to the victim's account.

Comments

Catch the latest from the Consumer Electronics Show on Gadgets 360, at our CES 2026 hub.

Further reading: Cybercrime, WhatsApp, WhatsApp scam, Cybersecurity

Shaurya Tomer

Email Shaurya Tomer

Shaurya Tomer is a Sub Editor at Gadgets 360 with 2 years of experience across a diverse spectrum of topics. With a particular focus on smartphones, gadgets and the ever-evolving landscape of artificial intelligence (AI), he often likes to explore the industry's intricacies and innovations – whether dissecting the latest smartphone release or exploring the ethical implications of AI advancements. In his free time, he often embarks on impromptu road trips to unwind, recharge, and ...More