New Year 2026 Event Scam in India: How ₹40 Lakh Was Stolen

As India welcomed 2026, a different kind of "party" was happening in the digital shadows. While cities like Kolkata, Barasat, and Bidhannagar were lit up with celebrations, cybercriminals were busy running a sophisticated Event-Related Scam that has already siphoned over ₹40 lakh from unsuspecting victims.

At Zyberwalls, we don’t just see this as a "fake link" problem. We see it as a masterclass in Social Engineering—tricking people instead of hacking systems.

Note: This analysis is based on incident reports from the Times of India and professional threat modeling of current 2026 scam patterns.

Infographic explaining the ₹40 lakh New Year 2026 event scam in India, showing fake event ads, malicious APK installation, QR code fraud, and UPI theft workflow.

 

The Incident Timeline: The "Golden Hour" Exploitation

Scammers target the days when your guard is down and your excitement is up.

  • Dec 28 – Dec 31: Fraudulent ads flood social media and WhatsApp, promising "last-minute" VIP passes and luxury hotel deals.

  • Jan 1 – Jan 3: The "Damage Phase." Victims realize the tickets were fake or find their bank accounts drained after clicking "delivery reschedule" links.

  • Current Status: Police and cybersecurity units are seeing a massive surge in complaints as the 2026 festive season concludes.

Most victims reported discovering the fraud only after checking their bank statements or when customer support numbers stopped responding.

1. Reconnaissance: The Lure of Festive FOMO

Scammers understand that during the New Year, people let their guard down.

  • How it works: Scammers use cloned websites that look 99% identical to official event platforms or delivery partners.

  • The Brief: FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) is the weapon. They create a "Limited Time Offer" for a popular concert or hotel. When you think you’re about to miss out on the party of the year, you stop checking the URL.

2. Execution: The "Side-Step" via WhatsApp & APKs

Instead of attacking the bank, they attack your phone directly.

  • How it works: Many victims reported receiving a .apk file disguised as a "Digital Greeting Card" or a "Gift App."

  • The Brief: An APK is an Android app installer. Once you install it to "see your gift," it acts as a RAT (Remote Access Trojan). It can read your SMS, capture your OTPs, and even record your screen while you type your UPI PIN.

3. The Damage: The QR Code Trap

For those who didn't download an app, the scammers used the Payment Redirection technique.

  • How it works: Victims were sent "Instant UPI links" or QR codes to "confirm their booking."

  • The Risk: In the rush of the New Year, many people didn't realize that you never need to enter your PIN to receive money or verify a ticket. The moment that PIN was entered on a fake page, the money was gone.

Technical Corner: Indicators of Compromise (IOCs)

For the Zyberwalls community, watch for these 2026 red flags:

  • Suspicious URLs: Official sites use .com or .in. Scammers use variations like .net-offer or .events-booking-2026.

  • The APK Warning: Any "greeting card" that asks you to "Install" a file is 100% malware.

  • Urgency Language: Phrases like "Offer expires in 12 minutes" or "Only 2 VIP passes left" are designed to bypass your logical thinking.

The Zyberwalls Defensive Protocol

Memorize these 3 Expert Rules for every festive season:

  1. The "Direct Source" Rule: Never buy tickets through a link sent on WhatsApp or a social media ad. Go directly to the official app (BookMyShow, Zomato, etc.) or the official hotel website by typing it yourself.

  2. The PIN Policy: Your UPI PIN is only for paying money. If someone tells you to enter your PIN to "verify your ticket" or "claim a refund," they are robbing you.

  3. Audit Your Links: Use a "Link Scanner" or simply check for typos in the domain name. One extra letter (e.g., goooogle.com vs google.com) is the difference between safety and a wiped bank account.

We previously broke down how scammers psychologically manipulate victims in our Digital Arrest social engineering analysis , which explains why urgency-based scams work so well.

Final Thought: Scammers don't need to hack a bank to steal ₹40 lakh—they just need to hack your excitement. At Zyberwalls, we turn that excitement back into awareness.

Stay Technical. Stay Human. Stay Safe. — Zyberwalls Research Team

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