What are the red flags of this scam?

The Government of India never distributes pay commission calculators or official forms as APK files via WhatsApp or Telegram • The official 8th Central Pay Commission portal is 8cpc.gov.in — no download or registration is needed there to check your pay • The APK file may be named convincingly ('8th_CPC_Calculator.apk', 'GovSalaryCalc.apk') but it asks for bank account details after install • After installation, you may notice unknown apps, unexpected OTPs arriving, or sudden unexplained bank debits • Message circulates in government employee WhatsApp groups or veterans' networks — the group context builds false trust

What should I do if this happened to me?

Delete the message immediately and do not click the download link — inform others in the group that it is malware • If you already installed the APK, immediately uninstall it, run a malware scan, and change your banking and UPI PINs from a different device • Check your genuine 8th Pay Commission status only at the official portal 8cpc.gov.in — no app download or Aadhaar is needed • Alert your bank's fraud helpline and block net-banking and UPI if you entered any credentials inside the fake app • If you installed any 'support' or 'server' or 'refund app' or remote-access app at the scammer's request (AnyDesk, TeamViewer, Quick Support, etc.), run free SeraphSecure (https://www.seraphsecure.com) to detect and remove it. • Report at https://cybercrime.gov.in or call 1930 (national cyber helpline).

HIGH government impersonation Last reported: 14 Oct 2026 Share

WhatsApp message offers an "8th Pay Commission salary calculator" APK — it's malware

Q: Is this a scam?

Yes. This is a documented scam pattern. A WhatsApp message offers a '8th Pay Commission salary calculator' APK for government employees. Installing it hands scammers full phone access, stealing OTPs and draining bank accounts.

A WhatsApp message offers a '8th Pay Commission salary calculator' APK for government employees. Installing it hands scammers full phone access, stealing OTPs and draining bank accounts.

Also known as: 8th CPC salary calculator scam, 8th Pay Commission APK malware, eighth pay commission WhatsApp virus, fake government salary app

Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes

Call 1930 now

1 Call 1930 — the national cyber-crime helpline — right now. The sooner you report, the better the chance of freezing the money before it moves.
2 Call your bank to freeze the account and block the card immediately. Use the number printed on your card, never a number from the message or caller.
3 File a report at cybercrime.gov.in and keep every message, screenshot, and transaction ID.
! If you installed any "support", "server", "refund", or remote-access app at their request (AnyDesk, TeamViewer, Quick Support, etc.): disconnect the internet now, then run free SeraphSecure (https://www.seraphsecure.com) to detect and remove it.

What to do right now

1 Delete the message immediately and do not click the download link — inform others in the group that it is malware
2 If you already installed the APK, immediately uninstall it, run a malware scan, and change your banking and UPI PINs from a different device
3 Check your genuine 8th Pay Commission status only at the official portal 8cpc.gov.in — no app download or Aadhaar is needed
4 Alert your bank's fraud helpline and block net-banking and UPI if you entered any credentials inside the fake app
5 If you installed any 'support' or 'server' or 'refund app' or remote-access app at the scammer's request (AnyDesk, TeamViewer, Quick Support, etc.), run free SeraphSecure (https://www.seraphsecure.com) to detect and remove it.
6 Report at https://cybercrime.gov.in or call 1930 (national cyber helpline).

Was remote-access software installed?

If a scammer asked you to install AnyDesk, TeamViewer, Quick Support, or any remote-access app, your device may still be compromised.

Run SeraphSecure to detect and remove it →

Red flags

⚠ The Government of India never distributes pay commission calculators or official forms as APK files via WhatsApp or Telegram
⚠ The official 8th Central Pay Commission portal is 8cpc.gov.in — no download or registration is needed there to check your pay
⚠ The APK file may be named convincingly ('8th_CPC_Calculator.apk', 'GovSalaryCalc.apk') but it asks for bank account details after install
⚠ After installation, you may notice unknown apps, unexpected OTPs arriving, or sudden unexplained bank debits
⚠ Message circulates in government employee WhatsApp groups or veterans' networks — the group context builds false trust

Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes

What to do right now

Red flags

Sources