Practical step-by-step guides to help you identify online scams,and know what to do if you are targeted.
Digital arrest is not a real legal process. Scammers may impersonate police or other officials, threaten you with arrest, and demand money to “settle” a case. Hang up, do not pay, verify independently, and report the scam immediately. If you have lost money, contact your bank and call 1930 as soon as possible.
What is the GhostPairing Scam? The WhatsApp Ghostpairing scam has recently emerged as a formidable cyberattack that hinges on WhatsApp’s “Linked Devices” feature that allows users to access their WhatsApp account through external devices as well. The GhostPairing attack tricks the victim into silently adding the attacker’s devices as an invisible linked device on the account. Although the scam originated in Czechia, it has shown up in India from December 2025 onwards. News reports mention a Mumbai-based accountant who received a message from a colleague asking why he had sent her a strange photo link at a late hour when he had done nothing of the sort. Similar messages were found in other chats, even though his phone was not active during those hours. In another case from Coimbatore, a senior citizen noticed that bank-related conversations were appearing on his WhatsApp account that he had never initiated. It was only when his son checked the app settings days later that the problem became obvious: an unfamiliar browser was listed under 'linked devices' in his WhatsApp account. By then, private chats, family discussions, and shared documents had already been exposed. How does the Scam work? Scammers use one of two methods to gain access to the victim’s WhatsApp account: 1. QR Code Scammers are often equipped with reusable templates or webpages where they display the pairing QR Code for their browser or device. They deceive the user into scanning the same under pretexts of opening up the next step to their fictitious process, such as a job prospect, a “free online reward”, or a brand-new investment technique. Students are also made victims of this if the link to this fake web page is circulated across Telegram channels as a student resource, like a textbook or study guide. Once the user scans this QR Code, the scammer is automatically logged into their WhatsApp account. 2. Pairing Code When the scammer initiates the linking request, the other option to complete linking is through an 8-digit pairing code. After entering the victim’s WhatsApp number, the device attempting the link (the scammer, in this case) receives an 8-digit pairing code generated by WhatsApp Web. The user is then manipulated or intimidated to pressure them to enter this code into their WhatsApp. This code is often sent as an OTP for the scammer’s false webpage or as a code to be entered when the scammer builds trust by pretending to be an acquaintance, relative or friend. Although a pre-constructed website or page is often used to market the fake opportunity the scammer uses to gain access, that is not always necessary. The same can also be achieved through a Facebook or Instagram account created purely for interacting with users this way, and some of them rely on pure psychological manipulation after contacting the victim through a call or message. This is done by pretending to be a delivery driver or any of the other people who regularly ask for OTPs, and then acquiring any joining OTPs for linking to the victim’s WhatsApp. Why is this Scam dangerous? The most common effect of this scam is financial loss. The scammer can look through the victim’s WhatsApp account and can obtain sensitive information using bank statements, past transactions, passwords, and so on. The scammer can also impersonate the hacked account and ask for details and money from other sources such as the victim’s family and friends. If fueled by personal vendettas, this attack can also result in the scammer utilising personal and vulnerable information to the user’s detriment through blackmail and threats. The original account-holders themselves are often blackmailed in exchange for the scammer relinquishing their undue access. Government and Public Advisories CERT-In rated the attack as high severity, stating that "this newly identified cyber campaign called GhostPairing enables cybercriminals to take complete control of WhatsApp accounts without needing password or SIM swaps." The Commissioner of Police for Hyderabad City, V. C. Sajjanar, IPS, warned people of the GhostPairing scam on December 21, 2025, posting on X: "If you receive a message saying 'Hey, I just found your photo' with a link — DO NOT click it, even if it appears to come from someone you know." The Commissioner noted that cyber fraudsters can access photos, chats, and other private information, and are capable of sending messages while impersonating the victims and even locking them out of their own accounts. Federal Bank India has published a dedicated awareness page on GhostPairing, detailing the four-step attack chain for its customers.
This guide explores what a phishing scam is, how to identify such scams before they cause harm, and what remedies exist for people facing such scams.
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