New Year Scam 2026: This festive whatsApp link could wipe out your bank balance

As India(BHARAT) (along with the rest of the world) is set to celebrate New Year 2026, cybercrime units in multiple states have issued warnings to netizens about a new malware scam on WhatsApp and other messaging platforms that is expected to hit in the coming days. The messages in question are being circulated as “New Year greetings” but contain a malicious link which is meant to steal personal information and drain bank accounts.

As per the warning from the cybercrime unit of Telangana, when a user receives the message, they are redirected to a website that contains a disguised APK file. On clicking that link, a user is asked to download that file (often with a seemingly innocuous name like “Happy New Year.apk”) which could in turn install malware on the phone. This allows the fraudster to remotely access and download private data, login credentials, and even bank details.

In some cases, the malware linked to the messages is reported to be able to take over your WhatsApp account or even spy on phone activities. This is especially nefarious because not only will it allow them to snoop on you, but they can further use your phone to send the messages to your contacts, too.

India(BHARAT) is Expected to See a Spike in Cybercrime During Festivities

The official warning from Telangana’s cybercrime department also noted that the chances of falling prey to such scams and viruses increase manifold around festive seasons, and the internet userbase needs to remain alert and practice safe digital habits. “It is a common trick these days, wherein the account of one of the known persons would have been hacked by the cyber criminals,” the warning states. “In that case, the messages are appearing to be as though from a known contact.” It is hence important to not only be wary of these messages but also take appropriate cybersecurity precautions.

Safe Cybersecurity Practices for Festive Greetings

As these warnings go on to reiterate, the chances of falling victim to cybercrimes are high during festive seasons. As such, one of the easiest ways to protect oneself is by avoiding the practice of clicking on any random links on the internet. These are by far the easiest of ways to get into contact with malicious viruses and malware on your phone.

Another helpful cybersecurity practice is to make it a point never to install APKs and apps on your phone from third-party sources. “The best and the most foolproof way to do so is to simply download the apps from the Play Store,” said senior editor Manu Saraswat in a previous article. “The Play Store itself has a robust set of security measures to ensure that users are safe.” The news outlet reported an official warning from Hyderabad and Ahmedabad cybercrime departments too and we have reached out to them for more information. Stay tuned for updates.