Bengaluru Forest Officer Loses Rs 9.9 Lakh to WhatsApp Wedding Invite Scam

A deputy range forest officer in Bengaluru lost Rs 9,96,659 to cyber fraudsters on July 14 after downloading a malicious APK file disguised as a wedding invitation on WhatsApp. The incident has prompted an investigation by the Bengaluru Police after the officer realized his bank account had been compromised.

The officer, believing the digital wedding invitation was genuine, downloaded and installed the file onto his mobile phone. Shortly after, multiple unauthorized transactions were executed from his Bank of Baroda account.

Upon reviewing his financial records, the officer discovered that a total of Rs 9,96,659 had been withdrawn in a series of transactions without his consent. Realizing he had fallen victim to a scam, the complainant deleted all APK files from his device and subsequently approached the police to report the crime.

According to the police, unknown cybercriminals are suspected to have gained remote access to the officer's mobile device through the malicious APK file, which allowed them to siphon funds directly from his bank account. A formal case has been registered, and the police have launched an investigation into the fraud.

Police officials explained that cybercriminals frequently utilize APK files forwarded through WhatsApp to carry out malware-based scams. These malicious files are typically disguised as wedding invitations, event notifications, or other legitimate-looking messages to deceive targets.

Once a user downloads and installs such a file, the malware can gain deep access to the mobile device. This compromise allows fraudsters to steal sensitive information, including personal data, banking details, text messages, and other confidential records, leading to financial fraud and data theft.

Officials noted that this method is part of an ongoing cybercrime trend reported in several cases over the past few months, presenting a continuous threat to smartphone users. The police have advised the public to avoid downloading or installing any APK files received through unsolicited WhatsApp messages and to verify the authenticity of any file before opening it.