A government employee in Maharashtra's Hingoli district lost ₹1,90,000 after clicking on a deceptive WhatsApp wedding invitation. The victim received a message inviting them to a wedding on August 30, 2025, which included text like "Welcome. Shadi mein zarur aye. 30/08/2025. Love is the master key that opens the gate of happiness".

However, what appeared to be a PDF wedding card was, in fact, an Android Application Package (APK) file. The moment the victim clicked on this file, cybercriminals gained access to their phone's data. This allowed them to track the victim’s activities, steal personal data, and potentially impersonate them to defraud others.

This "wedding invite scam" is not new, having first surfaced last year and resulted in many people losing money across India. The Himachal Pradesh Cyber Police had previously issued warnings, advising individuals to remain cautious and never download files from unfamiliar sources. Despite these warnings, the incident highlights that many continue to fall victim to these digital traps.

 A case has been registered with the Hingoli police station and the cyber cell, with investigations currently underway. This event serves as a critical reminder that caution online is the only real safeguard against such sophisticated cybercrimes.