Beware Of Happy New Year Message Scam: What You Should Not Click

As New Year celebrations started, phones are buzzing with all the greetings, GIFs, and forwarded messages from friends, family, and colleagues. But amid all the genuine wishes, you must be aware of some malicious links. Cybercrime agencies and police departments across India have flagged a rise in “Happy New Year” message scams, where festive greetings are being used as a cover to steal data, money, and even take over accounts. Also Read: How To Make Personalised Happy New Year Greetings To Share On Social Media With Nano Banana; Prompts Here

The scary part is that these messages often look harmless. That’s what makes them dangerous. Also Read: Jio is offering unlimited 5G data with its Rs 2999 prepaid plan: Check details

How The Happy New Year Message Scam Works

The scam follows a familiar pattern, but with a festive twist. First of all, scammers send bulk “Happy New Year” messages via SMS, WhatsApp, or social media. Sometimes the message comes from an unknown number, and other times it appears to be sent from a hacked contact.

The message includes a link, animation, greeting card, or claim like “see your New Year gift” or “open your personalised wish.” Once clicked, the link redirects users to a fake website or installs a malicious app, especially on Android devices. These pages often look genuine. In advanced cases, the malware silently enables call or message forwarding. This allows scammers to receive OTP calls, SMS alerts, and verification messages meant for the user.

With access to OTPs and messages, scammers attempt to break into banking apps, digital wallets, email accounts, or WhatsApp profiles. The compromised account is then used to forward the same scam message to contacts and group chats, spreading the fraud further.

Signs A New Year Message Could Be A Scam

While it can be difficult to detect the scam message in the excitement of the New Year. However, a close look at it can save you from a potential scam. Just check for these signs:

• Unknown or shortened links
• Attachments claiming to open greeting cards or videos
• Urgent phrases like “click now” or “claim before expiry”
• Promises of cashbacks, vouchers, or gifts
• Requests for OTPs, bank details, or logins
• Poor grammar or unusual formatting
• Messages that feel out of character for the sender

New Year Messages Scam: How To Stay Protected

To avoid falling for these scams, 

• Avoid clicking links or downloading attachments from New Year messages
• Verify suspicious greetings by calling the sender directly
• Never share OTPs, passwords, or personal details
• Check call forwarding status by dialling *#21#
• Disable forwarding immediately by dialling ##002#
• Report cyber fraud via 1930 or the national cybercrime portal