‘Is this your brother?’ – WhatsApp scam uses blurry images to hack phones; how to stay safe

There is a new scam doing the rounds on WhatsApp and other messaging platforms—and it is catching people off guard by using something as simple as a blurry photo. Called the ‘Photo Claim Scam’, it preys on your curiosity and compassion, reported News18.

Here is how the fraud works

The publication reported that users receive a message from an unknown number, along with a grainy image and a line like,“Is this your brother?” or“This person was seen in your neighbourhood—do you know them?” At first glance, it looks like someone genuinely asking for help. But that is where the danger lies.

If users download the photo, they could unknowingly install a malicious APK file—a kind of third-party app that is not from the Play Store. Once it is on their phone, it can quietly give cybercriminals access to everything—from the banking apps and UPI to the SMS inbox. They can see OTPs, transfer money, shop online using your details and worse. Users might not even realise it until it is too late.

This is not the first time something like this has happened. Just last year, fraudsters sent fake wedding invitations loaded with similar APK files. Now, they are using emotional hooks to get people to drop their guard.

How can you stay safe?
– Only install apps from trusted sources like the Google Play Store
– Don’t open suspicious photos or messages from unknown contacts
– Regularly check what permissions your apps have
– Enable face or fingerprint locks on your banking apps

Bottom line? Stay sharp. If something feels off, it probably is. One blurry photo should not cost you your life’s savings. So think before you tap, and spread the word.

In another story, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In), which comes under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, Government of India, has issued a high-severity alert concerning a newly discovered spoofing vulnerability in WhatsApp Desktop for Windows. Identified as CIVN-2025-0075, the flaw affects application versions earlier than 2.2450.6.