Bengaluru Man Loses Rs 5 Lakh After Downloading Fake WhatsApp Wedding Invite, Police File FIR

A scammer sent a fake wedding invitation on WhatsApp to a Bengaluru businessman and reportedly duped him of Rs 5 lakh.

The wedding invite sent on WhatsApp was accompanied by an APK file.

Source : Representative Image/Pexels

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Key points generated by AI, verified by newsroom

• Businessman downloaded fake wedding invite via WhatsApp, losing Rs 5 lakh.
• Attached APK file granted scammers access to victim's phone.
• Fraudsters executed multiple UPI transactions, stealing over Rs 5 lakh.
• Police filed a cheating and identity theft case against unknown persons.

A 42-year-old Bengaluru-based businessman was allegedly duped of Rs 5 lakh after he downloaded a fake wedding invitation received on WhatsApp. The incident reportedly took place on April 16 between 4:45 am and 4:54 am through a wedding invite, which appeared to be a trap laid by the scamsters. The victim, Noor Nahid Khan, has since filed a police complaint, and an investigation is currently underway.

What WhatsApp Message Said

The wedding invite, which he received on his WhatsApp, read: “We’re happy to invite you to our wedding. Kindly download the attached invitation for complete details of the ceremony. Your presence and blessings will make our special day truly memorable,” along with heart emojis.

It further added, “We look forward to celebrating this beautiful moment with you,” followed by a bouquet and sparkle emojis.

Without giving it much thought, Khan downloaded the attachment, and what happened next was something he could never have imagined, even in his wildest dreams. The attached file turned out to be malicious, giving an unknown sender access to his device.

According to a report filed by NDTV, the attachment was an APK file. An APK (Android Package Kit) is a file format used to install applications on Android devices. It can also be used to install malicious software.

Following this, the fraudster allegedly gained access to the victim’s phone and siphoned off Rs 5,00,440 through multiple UPI transactions, NDTV reported. 

Beware! https://t.co/09XMj7g1gU

— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) May 11, 2026

Police File FIR

Based on the complaint, authorities have registered a case of cheating and identity theft against unidentified persons under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. Police said the APK file helped scammers download an app outside the official Google Play Store without the user’s knowledge, and provided them access to sensitive permissions such as camera, banking apps, and payment services like Google Pay.

Investigators believe the same malicious message and APK file may have been widely circulated as part of a larger cyber fraud network targeting multiple users.