Government Employee Loses Nearly Rs 2 Lakh After Opening WhatsApp Wedding Invite

Digital Wedding Invitation Turns Costly

Maharashtra: The message, sent from an unknown number, invited the victim to a wedding scheduled for 30 August 2025, with a warm message: “Welcome. Shadi mein zarur aye (Do come to the wedding). Love is the master key that opens the gate of happiness.” Attached was a file appearing to be a traditional PDF wedding card.

However, the file was a disguised Android Application Package (APK), designed to infiltrate the victim’s phone once opened. The cybercriminals behind this cunning scam gained access to the phone’s data and stole the substantial sum of Rs 1,90,000.

Growing Threat of Wedding Invitation Cyberfraud

The victim has filed a complaint against unknown individuals at the Hingoli police station and the cyber cell department. This form of cyberfraud is not new; it surfaced last year when numerous people fell prey to similar scams involving fake wedding invitations sent on WhatsApp.

The scam operates by sending APK files disguised as wedding cards. When victims download and open these files, hackers infiltrate their phones, monitor their activities, and use stolen data to impersonate victims, often tricking friends or family into transferring money.

Authorities, including the Himachal Pradesh Cyber Police, issued warnings last year urging the public to exercise caution and avoid downloading files from unknown sources. This latest incident is a stark reminder to remain vigilant in the face of ever-evolving digital threats.

With cybercriminals exploiting even joyous occasions like weddings, experts advise verifying message sources and refraining from opening unexpected attachments, no matter how inviting they seem.