Wedding Card Scam On WhatsApp: It looks amazing and sweet when you receive a wedding invite on WhatsApp with the caption, ‘Welcome, shadi mein zarur aaiye.’ Unfortunately, a seemingly innocent digital wedding invitation on WhatsApp cost a government employee from Maharashtra’s Hingoli district nearly Rs 1,90,000 after falling prey to a cyber fraud.
According to an NDTV report, the victim received a WhatsApp message from an unknown number, inviting them to a wedding scheduled for August 30. The message read: ‘Welcome. Shadi mein zarur aaiye (Do come to the wedding). 30/08/2025. Love is the master key that opens the gate of happiness.’ However, the so-called wedding card was actually an Android Application Package (APK) file, designed to hack into users’ phones and steal sensitive data.
The moment the victim tapped on the file, cybercriminals gained access to the phone. In no time, Rs 1.9 lakh was stolen from the account. A case has been registered against an unidentified person at the Hingoli police station and the cyber cell. (Also Read: Free Cloud Storage for All Citizens; What You Can Store, Space Limit, And How to Claim Free Space)
Add Zee News as a Preferred Source
Wedding Card Scam On WhatsApp: How It Works
This wedding invitation scam is not new. It first surfaced last year, tricking several unsuspecting people across India. The fraud begins with a WhatsApp invite, but once the APK file is installed, scammers or hackers gain control of the victim’s phone, enabling them to steal personal data and even impersonate the victim to cheat friends and family.
Wedding Card Scam On WhatsApp: Tips To Avoid Scam
Pointer 1: Never download APK files sent through WhatsApp, as they can contain malware.
Pointer 2: Verify the sender by calling or messaging directly before opening any wedding invite.
Pointer 3: Check the file format – genuine invites are usually PDFs or images, not APK files.
Pointer 4: Install apps only from official stores like Google Play or Apple App Store.
Pointer 5: Report and block suspicious numbers on WhatsApp to prevent further fraud.
