A furniture shop owner in Bengaluru was allegedly cheated of nearly ₹5 lakh by cyber fraudsters who used a fake wedding invitation link sent through WhatsApp.
According to police, the victim received a wedding invitation file on WhatsApp from an unknown number. Believing it to be genuine, he downloaded and opened the file on his mobile phone.
Soon after installing the attachment, cybercriminals reportedly gained unauthorised access to his banking information and financial details. Within a short time, multiple transactions were carried out from his account, leading to a loss of nearly ₹5 lakh.
The victim later approached the cybercrime police after noticing suspicious withdrawals and unauthorised banking activity.
Investigators suspect the file contained malware designed to steal sensitive information, including banking credentials and OTP-related access. Police have warned citizens against downloading APK files or unknown attachments received through messaging platforms.
Cyber experts say fraudsters are increasingly using emotional or familiar content such as wedding invitations, festival greetings and courier notifications to trick users into installing malicious software.
Authorities have advised the public to verify unknown senders before opening attachments and avoid installing applications from unofficial sources. People have also been urged to enable banking security alerts and regularly monitor account activity.
The incident has once again highlighted the growing threat of cyber fraud in Bengaluru, where online scams targeting smartphone users continue to rise.
Police said efforts are underway to trace the accused and recover the stolen money.