New Year 2026: Beware of messages, wishes and greetings — they may be scams!

As people prepare to welcome the New Year 2026 by exchanging messages and online greetings, cybercrime authorities are warning that not every festive wish is genuine. Police in Hyderabad and the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) say a fresh wave of scams is spreading through WhatsApp, Telegram, SMS and social media—disguised as harmless New Year greetings but designed to quietly hijack smartphones.

These scams thrive during the festive rush, when people are relaxed, distracted and more likely to trust messages shared within family or office groups.

How the scam works

Fraudsters send out bulk New Year messages that appear friendly and celebratory. These may arrive as digital greeting cards, festive offers, cashback promises or year-end rewards. In some cases, the message appears to come from a known contact whose account has already been compromised.

The message encourages the recipient to click a link to view a greeting, open a card or claim a gift. Once clicked, the link either redirects users to a fake website or pushes a malicious app file onto Android phones. These pages and apps are designed to look legitimate, lowering suspicion.

What happens after you click

Cyber officials say the real damage begins after installation. The malicious software runs silently in the background and can access sensitive data stored on the phone. This includes bank-related information, incoming SMS messages, one-time passwords, photo galleries and contact lists.

In more advanced cases, the malware enables call or message forwarding at the network level. This allows scammers to receive OTPs and messages meant for the victim without raising immediate alarm. With this access, fraudsters attempt to take over banking apps, digital wallets, email accounts and WhatsApp profiles.

Once an account is compromised, it is often used to forward the same scam message to others, creating a chain reaction that spreads quickly through trusted networks.

Why festive scams spread faster

Authorities say these greeting-based scams rely on trust rather than fear or greed. Messages shared during celebrations are rarely questioned, especially when they appear in familiar group chats. Forwarding such messages—even unintentionally—helps scammers reach more victims and increases the risk of financial fraud and identity theft.

Warning signs to watch for

Suspicious links, unexpected attachments, urgent instructions to click or verify, promises of rewards, requests for OTPs or personal details, spelling errors, and messages that feel out of character are all red flags. Repeatedly forwarded messages urging users to share them further are also a common sign of scam chains.

How to protect yourself

Cybercrime officials advise users not to click on unknown links or download apps to view greetings. If a message from a known contact feels unusual, it is safer to verify separately. Personal information, banking details and OTPs should never be shared.

Users can also check for suspicious call forwarding by dialling *#21# and disable all forwarding immediately using ##002#.

If you clicked by mistake

Act quickly. Disconnect from the internet, uninstall unfamiliar apps and inform your bank at once. Reporting the incident during the critical early period can help limit losses. Victims or suspected victims can call the cybercrime helpline 1930 or register a complaint on the national cybercrime reporting portal.

As authorities monitor the seasonal rise in online fraud, they stress one simple point: staying alert online is just as important as celebrating offline.