The latest victim, 45-year-old businessman Bholanath Gupta from Kandivli West, received two such “wedding invitation” files from the WhatsApp number of his acquaintance, Jai Jaiswal, a cosmetics trader from Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh
A fake traffic challan and forged wedding invite on WhatsApp carry malware-filled files that let fraudsters hack victims’ phones. Pics/By Special Arrangement
A new cybercrime trend has emerged where scammers are spreading malicious APK files disguised as wedding invitations and traffic challan fines via WhatsApp. These APK files resemble the PDF files that are generally shared as wedding invites and traffic challans. Once downloaded, these files allow fraudsters to hijack victims’ mobile phones and siphon money from their bank accounts.
The latest victim, 45-year-old businessman Bholanath Gupta from Kandivli West, received two such “wedding invitation” files from the WhatsApp number of his acquaintance, Jai Jaiswal, a cosmetics trader from Jaunpur, Uttar Pradesh. “On August 20, around 5 am, I received an APK file resembling a wedding invite from Jai’s number. The moment I clicked on it, my phone froze. None of the functions worked even after several restarts. Later that night, I got messages that six transactions worth Rs 44,000 had been debited from my account. I immediately reported it to the cyber helpline and then to Kandivli police,” Gupta said.
Jaiswal admitted he, too, was tricked. “I clicked on a similar file sent from my neighbour’s number. It asked for permissions and personal details. Soon, my WhatsApp began auto-forwarding the same ‘invitation’ to all my contacts. Many later complained of hacked phones and stolen money. I filed a complaint with the cyber helpline and put up a WhatsApp status warning others,” he explained.
Anmol Agrahari, a Nalasopara resident who lost Rs 9500 after downloading a malicious wedding invitation file on WhatsApp; (right) Businessman Bholanath Gupta from Kandivli West, who lost Rs 44,000 after opening a fake wedding invitation file sent via WhatsApp
The scam has already caused serious financial damage. According to Jaiswal, a dairy owner in Jaunpur lost nearly R10 lakh, while Anmol Agrahari, a resident of Nalasopara, lost Rs 9500. Agrahari recounted, “I got the file from my uncle’s number. Once I downloaded it, my phone went haywire. At first, I had only R500 in my account, but after I received a late-night payment, the entire balance was wiped out by morning. My WhatsApp also started auto-sending the file to my contacts, including family members. I quickly alerted them, then blocked my accounts with the bank.” Police have urged caution. “Cybercriminals are coming up with new tricks daily. Citizens must avoid clicking on suspicious APKs or unknown links. Victims should immediately call the Cyber Helpline at 1930,” said an officer.
Cybersecurity experts warn that this trend is a dangerous evolution of phishing. “Social engineering is at play here, disguising malware as something socially trusted, like a wedding invite or e-challan. APKs (Android Package Kits) are essentially apps. By installing them, you unknowingly hand over your phone and everything on it, from chats to banking, to criminals. Unlike earlier scams where you had to share OTPs, attackers now directly control your device, intercept OTPs, and empty your accounts,” the expert explained. The advice is simple: adopt a Zero Trust approach. “Always check file extensions. A genuine wedding invite or challan will be a PDF or JPEG, never an APK. If it is, it’s a scam.”
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