New Year 2026 is around the corner and that means people will be celebrating the occasion and wishing their dear ones. However, this is also the time when your festive spirit might be exploited by hackers,
who can infiltrate your devices just with a simple Happy New year greeting. And cyber experts are now warning people about such attacks that can be passed on through WhatsApp across millions.
What might look like basic New year wishes could end up handing over the control of your phone to the hacker.
New Year 2026 Scam: What You Should Know
The message around the New Year 2026 WhatsApp scam has been shared by the police in Hyderabad and the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) this week in the build up to the big event. But it is not just linked to WhatsApp as per the authorities and you might even see these messages sent through Telegram, which is another popular messaging platform among users in the country.
The fake greeting message could be hard to identify, especially since it will sound friendly and you might assume it might be from someone you know but not added in the contact list. So, when you click the message, the main agenda of the attack is triggered.
The message carries an APK file for an app which runs on Android phones and when you install the file, it allows the malware to bypass the device security and start running in the background. It can track all your activities, and even decode the important passwords for your accounts.
The concerns are grave because hijacking a device means the hacker can use your WhatsApp account to send the same message across your contact list and trigger a massive chain reaction that affects many people in your circle.
The police authorities have cautioned people about being careful with such messages, especially when you see them coming from unknown contacts. And if these messages have links or even GIF files, do not click on them. They have also recommended users to set up two-factor security for their accounts so that bad actors are not able to successfully exploit the breach and steal confidential data and even drain your bank accounts.
