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CHANDIGARH: The Punjab Police has issued a statewide cyber alert and public advisory after receiving reports of suspicious, virus-infected phishing links circulating on mobile phones across Punjab, associated with the viral “Cockroach Janata Party” (CJP).

Police have warned people not to click on unknown links being circulated through WhatsApp and other social media platforms in the name of membership drives of the satirical digital outfit, cautioning that cyber criminals are exploiting the group’s sudden popularity to hack phones and steal financial data.

Cyber criminals are exploiting the viral popularity of CJP

The advisory comes at a time when the “Cockroach Janata Party” has emerged as a major viral phenomenon on social media platforms across India, particularly among young users.

According to the Punjab Police, cyber fraudsters are circulating phishing links disguised as invitations to join the Cockroach Janata Party, exploiting public curiosity and the organisation’s growing online popularity.

Police said the fraudulent messages contain emotionally charged and youth-centric slogans such as:

• “The country’s calling for a change in the system, the time has come”
• “Big opportunities for youth”

The messages then invite users to join the “Cockroach Janata Party” through embedded links.

Phones are hacked immediately after clicking on links

In its advisory, Punjab Police warned that the links being circulated are actually phishing links embedded with malicious software.

According to officials, once users click on these links — often out of curiosity or emotional appeal — their mobile phones can immediately be compromised.

Police warned that cyber criminals can then gain access to:

• Banking applications
• Passwords and OTP systems
• Personal photographs and files
• Financial information
• Social media accounts

Officials said scammers may subsequently siphon money from bank accounts or even obtain loans worth lakhs of rupees in the victim’s name using stolen personal and financial data.

Police release awareness video.

To raise awareness, the Punjab Police has also released a 42-second public awareness video on its official social media platforms that explains the modus operandi of cyber fraud.

The video cautions people against clicking on suspicious links and explains how phishing attacks can quickly compromise mobile devices and banking systems.

Officials said the campaign is part of a broader cyber awareness initiative aimed at protecting citizens from emerging online fraud exploiting trending social media themes.

Advisory asks people to avoid unknown links.

Punjab Police appealed to citizens not to be influenced by social media trends, emotional messaging or viral campaigns without verification.

“Do not click on unknown links. Your life’s savings can disappear within minutes,” officials warned in the advisory.

Police also advised users to verify all digital campaigns through official sources and avoid sharing personal or banking details through suspicious platforms.

Victims are asked to call the cyber helpline immediately

Authorities said that if anyone accidentally falls victim to such cyber fraud, they should immediately contact the national cybercrime helpline at 1930 instead of panicking.

Officials explained that timely reporting increases the chances of freezing fraudulent transactions and recovering stolen money.

Punjab Police said awareness campaigns on phishing links and cyber fraud would continue to prevent more people from falling prey to scammers.

CJP founder claims fear of arrest

The development comes amid the meteoric rise of the satirical online outfit “Cockroach Janata Party”, whose parody political content has rapidly gained massive traction across social media platforms.

The founder of the viral outfit, Abhijeet, who is currently based in Boston, recently claimed that he feared arrest if he returned to India after the group’s X account was withheld in the country.

According to reports, the Cockroach Janata Party amassed nearly 19.1 million followers on Instagram within just five days, overtaking the Instagram following of the Bharatiya Janata Party, which currently has around 8.7 million followers on the platform.

Rising threat of trend-based cyber frauds

Cyber experts say fraudsters increasingly exploit viral trends, popular personalities and emotionally charged campaigns to lure unsuspecting users into phishing traps.

Authorities have repeatedly warned that curiosity-driven clicks on unverified links remain one of the biggest causes of financial cyber fraud in India.

Police officials urged people to remain cautious and digitally vigilant amid the growing sophistication of cybercrime networks operating through social media and encrypted messaging platforms.