Wedding invite scam: Cybercrooks use fake APK files to hijack phones, steal bank data
Cybercriminals have found a new way to trap unsuspecting victims — by disguising spyware as digital wedding invitations. A growing scam involves Android Application Package (APK) files shared via WhatsApp links, which once downloaded, allow fraudsters to take full control of a user's phone and steal sensitive data, including banking credentials.
In a recent case in Lucknow, Ratnesh, a Jankipuram resident, received a wedding card link via WhatsApp from an unknown number. Thinking it was a harmless invitation, he clicked on it. Moments later, Rs 40,000 was debited from his bank account. By the time he realised the fraud, the money was gone, according to a TOI report.
According to Brajesh Kumar Yadav, in charge of the Cyber Crime Police Station, the link led to a spyware-laced APK file specifically designed for Android phones.
"Once installed, it allows fraudsters to access everything — from bank details and OTPs to personal files and contacts,"
Yadav explained.
The spyware doesn't stop at financial theft.
"Spyware hijacks the phone's functions, including camera, microphone, GPS and messaging system. It can remotely extract information without the user's knowledge, leaving him with a functional phone silently under the control of cyber criminals. The scam also gives fraudsters access to photos and contact lists,"
Yadav added.
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Two more cases of similar nature have been reported in Lucknow, although the victims have yet to file formal FIRs.
Former IPS officer and cyber expert Triveni Singh advised extreme caution.
"While APK files are not inherently dangerous, their safety depends largely on the source. APK files downloaded from the Google Play Store are generally secure due to the platform's stringent vetting process. However, files from unknown or untrusted sources can contain malicious code that can harm the device or compromise the user's data,"
Singh said.
Authorities urge users never to download files or click links from unknown contacts, no matter how convincing they appear.
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