PDRM Advises M'sians To Be Cautious Of .APK Files Disguised As Wedding Invitations
"If the victim downloads and installs the application, the criminal will gain full access to the victim's phone without their knowledge," warned the police.
The Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) has advised the public to be cautious of the latest phishing tactic used by criminals to hack into smartphones
According to Bernama, Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department director Datuk Seri Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf said criminals have been detected using malware-ridden application files disguised as wedding invitations to access a victim's phone and steal important data.
He said the tactic has been detected since mid-2023, with the invitations often coming from scammers pretending to be acquaintances of the victims.
Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department director Datuk Seri Ramli Mohamed Yoosuf.
Image via L Manimaran/New Straits Times
A post showing an example of a wedding invitation in the form of an .apk file went viral on X earlier this week
"This is a new way scammers work. Please remind your parents, uncles, and aunts not to install or click any invitation links from unknown numbers," advised an X user, sharing a screenshot of the messages.
Ramli has also advised the public to always be cautious and avoid downloading any files ending with .apk that are received through messages or emails
"If the victim downloads and installs the application, the criminal will gain full access to the victim's phone without their knowledge.
"This access allows the criminal to steal the victim's data and could even result in financial loss for the victim," he said in a statement today, 4 June.
According to the National Scam Response Centre, over 2,500 .apk file phishing cases were reported last year:
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