Greater Noida — In India’s wedding season, printed invitations once carried the promise of family gatherings, festivity and tradition. Now, in the age of WhatsApp and digital cards, the same invitations are being weaponized by cybercriminals.
According to police and cyber experts, fraudsters are increasingly using digital wedding invitations as bait. A WhatsApp message, seemingly harmless and celebratory, arrives with a card attached. But clicking on the link prompts the download of a malicious APK file. Once installed, the victim’s phone is effectively hijacked: photos, bank accounts, payment wallets, and even saved passwords become accessible to the criminals.
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Case Study 1
Vivek Agarwal, 38, a resident of Greater Noida (name changed), received a digital wedding card on WhatsApp last week. Believing it to be from a family acquaintance, he tapped the link. Within hours, unauthorized transactions drained thousands of rupees from his bank account.
Case Study 2
Priya, 27, (name changed) was similarly targeted. After clicking on a digital wedding invitation, she found her social media accounts compromised and her banking credentials stolen.
Expert View
Professor Triveni Singh, a former Indian Police Service officer and noted cybercrime expert, said the fraud works because it exploits trust and cultural tradition.
“Cybercriminals are now turning emotions and customs into weapons,” Singh explained. “People rarely question an invitation to a wedding, it feels personal, safe. That unquestioning trust is the criminals’ greatest advantage. Unless everyday users learn to treat unknown links and files with caution, these scams will continue to rise.”
How to Stay Safe
- Never download APK files or unknown attachments received via messaging apps.
- Install applications only through official stores such as Google Play or Apple’s App Store.
- Activate two-factor authentication for banking and payment apps.
- Report suspicious links or financial fraud immediately through India’s cybercrime helpline.