Beware! Fake wedding invites on WhatsApp are hacking phones

In a fresh wave of cyber fraud targeting residents in the city, scammers are now using fake digital wedding invitations shared via WhatsApp to hack into users’ devices.
Dubbed ‘digital arrest,’ these scams involve sending malicious files disguised as PDF invitations that, when opened, compromise the recipient’s mobile phone, granting fraudsters full access to personal data and bank accounts.
The Lucknow Police cyber cell issued an advisory on Monday through its educational video series, ‘cyber pathshala’. It warned citizens, “If you receive a PDF wedding invitation from an unknown number with file extensions like APK, PIF, or VBS, do not open it under any circumstances.”
It further added, “If you become a victim of fraud, report it immediately to 1930.”
“These so-called wedding invitations are malware designed to take control of the recipient’s phone,” explained Ram Raksha Singh, inspector with the cyber cell. “Once the device is compromised, scammers can siphon money from accounts linked to the phone.”
WHAT TO DO?
Don’t open any file being sent from an unknown number.
See if the mobile number belongs to India or if it is with +91
Such messages have APK, PIF and VBS written on them which are sent to users in PDF format.
In case of any fraud, report such crime to a cyber cell or cyber police station. One can also call on the cyber portal number at 1930 or register a complaint in www.cybercrime.gov.in
Turn off auto download: If you want to stop auto download then click on Storage and Data in Whatsapp settings. Click on When using mobile data below and remove the tick mark in front of the options of photo, audio, video, and document.
Two-step verification: Keep your mobile locked with two-step verification. For this, go to Settings. Click on the Account option. You have to click on the two-step verification option. After this, enter your password.