The central government employees are expecting the announcement of salary revisions under the framework of the 8th Pay Commission soon. Amid the speculations about the potential hike in salary and pension, scammers have started targeting the central government employees and pensioners with fake applications linked to the 8th Central Pay Commission.
Authorities have raised an alarm over fraudsters attempting to trick users into installing malware for salary calculation, as per 8th CPC guidelines. Such bogus applications are capable of stealing sensitive bank details and other personal data.
The advisory was released after cyber authorities noticed a rise in dubious messages being shared on popular messaging apps, prompting action from the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), which operates under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
“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,” I4C posted on X.
सरकारी कर्मचारियों को WhatsApp पर message भेजकर कहा जा रहा है कि 8वें वेतन आयोग लागू होने पर उनकी salary कितनी होगी, यह जानने के लिए एक APK file download करें
— CyberDost I4C (@Cyberdost) February 13, 2026
जैसे ही APK install की जाती है, mobile ka access fraudsters ke paas chala jaata hai#APKScamAlert #PayCommissionScam pic.twitter.com/UO6hSMkMmj
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Fraudsters are circulating messages that promise to help central government employees and pensioners compute their revised pay under the 8th Pay Commission. These text messages usually include a link urging recipients to download an APK file: the file format used to install apps on Android phones.
While reputable apps are normally obtained from authorised app stores, APK files can bypass these safeguards and be installed manually.
The APK involved is not a harmless tool but a vehicle for malware. Once in place, it can let criminals operate the phone remotely, observe incoming messages, steal verification codes and initiate unauthorised transfers in the background.
8th Pay Commission Calculator Scam Alert: Dos
To avoid falling victim to the ongoing salary calculator fraud, employees are urged to follow these basic safeguards:
- Treat any APK file shared via messaging platforms with suspicion, as government agencies do not distribute apps through any such mode.
- Refer only to authorised government portals for details on pay revisions or pension matters.
- Cross-check developments related to the 8th Pay Commission through credible and established news sources.
- Verify the sender's identity before trusting a message claiming to be from a bank or public authority. When in doubt, make a direct call to an official contact.
- Avoid clicking on links that look unusual, poorly written or overly urgent, as these are common traits of scam messages.
8th Pay Commission Calculator Scam Alert: Dont's
To reduce the risk of being duped, users must be cautious against the following:
- Do not rely on unsolicited or suspicious messages, as APK downloads from unknown sources can expose devices to malware.
- Avoid clicking on links sent by unfamiliar numbers or unverified business accounts.
- Never disclose sensitive details, such as OTPs, UPI PINs, debit or credit card PINs, banking passwords, CVV numbers or account verification codes. Genuine organisations do not request this information.
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