8th Pay Commission: Govt alerts employees, pensioners about WhatsApp salary calculation scam

As excitement mounts over the proposed 8th Pay Commission, cybercriminals are exploiting government employees' curiosity and concerns. News about salary revisions under the 8th Pay Commission naturally grabs the attention of central government employees and pensioners.

Sensing this curiosity, fraudsters are circulating WhatsApp messages that promise detailed salary calculations under the 8th CPC, while attempting to trick recipients into sharing their bank account details.

However, authorities are warning employees to stay alert before clicking on links that promise to show how much their salary will increase or offer instant calculations.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), through the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), has issued a public advisory warning people about a new scam circulating on WhatsApp. A post shared by its official handle Cyber Dost on X (formerly Twitter), I4C read: “ Government employees are being told via messages on WhatsApp that to find out how much their salary will be once the 8th Pay Commission is implemented, they should download an APK file. As soon as the APK is installed, access to the mobile goes straight to the fraudsters."

14C is a Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) initiative against cybercrime.

What is this recent scam in the name of the 8th CPC?

• Government employees are receiving WhatsApp messages claiming to calculate their salary after the implementation of the 8th Pay Commission.

• The message asks them to download an APK file.

• Once the APK file is installed, the app gives scammers access to the mobile phone.

• After that, money is withdrawn from the bank account.

What to remember

• The government never sends APK files on WhatsApp.

• Downloading APK files from unverified sources can be dangerous.

• For information on salary, pension, or the Pay Commission, visit only the official government website: https://8cpc.gov.in/.