Imagine this, you get a WhatsApp message from an unknown number. The file is named ‘Wedding Card’ or ‘Wedding Invitation.’
With the wedding season in full swing, scammers know it’s the perfect time to trick people, so out of curiosity, you tap to open it, maybe to check whose wedding it is before asking, “Who’s this?” But the moment you do, you’ve unknowingly opened the door to a scam. This isn’t a love story, it’s a cybercrime plot. The so-called ‘wedding card’ is not a PDF or an image but an APK file, an Android app file that installs malware on your phone the moment you click on it. And in just a few minutes, your personal data, bank details, and even your hard-earned money could be gone. What is the Wedding Card scam This scam is making the rounds again, especially during the wedding season. Cybercriminals design fake digital wedding cards that look completely real, with elegant fonts, pastel colors, and wedding-style decorations. But here’s the catch, these “cards” come with an .apk extension (something like InviteCard.apk). When you install it, it quietly takes full control of your phone in the background. Once it’s in, the fake ‘Wedding Blessing App’ asks for permissions, access to messages, gallery, call logs, and notifications. With that access, scammers can: Where the scam is spreading Police and cyber teams say this scam is spreading fast, especially in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Delhi-NCR. Most victims said the message came from someone they already knew, because their contact’s phone had already been hacked. That’s what makes the scam so believable. How people are losing money Here’s how this scam can harm you once you install that file: 1. Bank Info Theft Malware can extract saved banking data, account numbers, card details, or auto-filled passwords. 2. OTP Hijacking It intercepts OTPs to approve unauthorised money transfers. 3. Payment App Exploitation Fraudsters can access UPI apps like GPay, Paytm, and PhonePe to steal money. 4. Unwanted Subscriptions Scammers may sign you up for paid apps or services that deduct money automatically. 5. Account Lockouts They can hijack your social media or banking accounts and lock you out. 6. Identity Theft and Blackmail Your personal photos or IDs could be misused for extortion or fake accounts. How to know if your phone is infected Watch out for these warning signs: What to do if you installed the file How to stay safe during the wedding season Stop before you tap Weddings are meant for joy, not for fraud. But scammers know people rarely doubt an invitation.
So, if a wedding card lands in your WhatsApp inbox from an unknown number, don’t click it. Verify it first.
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