College Student Behind Whatsapp's 'Wedding Invitation' Scam: Police

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A student who resides in Pinrang Regency, South Sulawesi, is suspected of being the mastermind behind the recent ‘APK file’ scam that has made rounds across social media. This scam grabbed massive attention as a phishing link - meant to steal the victim’s banking credentials - was distributed widely as an online wedding invitation. 

Unaware victims who click the link in the fake wedding invitation will then have their online bank account drained by the perpetrator. At least two have reported to authorities after falling victim to this latest scam. 

"Based on the victim's report, the cyber team at the National Police Headquarters has arrested the creator of this," said Head of the Cyber Sub-Directorate of the Special Criminal Investigation Directorate of the South Sulawesi Regional Police, Commissioner Sutomo, on Wednesday February 1.

The college student’s identity is only known by their initials “IA” who is 20 years of age and according to the cyber police head is merely part of a larger criminal network. 

IA is said to have made the application and then bought and sold it and then used it to commit crimes. From his network, according to Sutomo, two people have been arrested in Sumatra and in Wajo, South Sulawesi.

The suspect would often randomly distribute the dangerous app through Whatsapp and pretend to know the victim to entice the victim to click the link embedded in the online wedding invitation. 

Once the victim is tricked into opening the message, it will automatically download and enter the banking system. And if the victim later opens a banking application on their cellphone, the credentials will immediately be read on the perpetrator's application system, which then changes the pin number and take full control of the victim’s bank account and transfer money to another account. 

ANTARA

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