Overview of Fake Calendar Invite Scams
Fake calendar invite scams have become increasingly common due to their effectiveness in tricking users. These scams exploit the trust people have in calendar applications like Microsoft 365 and Google Calendar. They are exploding so make sure your calendar settings are to only accept invites from people in your address book. When you block them the requests go to your email account on file and usually end up in junk mail. When you review your junk mail block the sender and delete it.
How the Scams Work
Phishing Techniques
- Fake Billing Alerts: Scammers send invites claiming payment failures or account issues, often using official-looking branding.
- Urgent Titles: Event titles like “Payment Overdue” or “Account Suspended” create a sense of urgency, prompting quick reactions.
- Malicious Attachments: Some invites include attachments that appear legitimate but are designed to steal personal information.
Delivery Methods
- Calendar Invites: Scammers send .ics files that automatically add events to users’ calendars, bypassing email filters.
- Compromised Email Addresses: These invites often come from addresses that look legitimate, making them harder to identify as scams.
User Vulnerability
Automatic Acceptance
Many users have settings that automatically accept calendar invites, allowing these scams to appear without any action on their part.
Response Risks
When users attempt to delete these invites, they may inadvertently confirm their email address as active, making them targets for further scams.
Prevention Tips
- Do Not Engage: Avoid clicking on links or attachments in suspicious invites.
- Adjust Settings: Change calendar settings to prevent automatic acceptance of invites.
- Report and Block: Report suspicious invites as spam and block the sender to reduce future risks.
By understanding these tactics and taking preventive measures, users can better protect themselves from falling victim to these scams.
Hi Mike, I appreciate your information on these scams and I often get them in my email. Thank you for informing me of their potential harm.
Hi Don, These have been ramping up over the last month. It is a new way scammers are trying to get people. These things always get worse through the holidays. I have 4 email addresses and they only usually hit one, which is the one I use to purchase things on the Internet. I figure if it gets too many scams, I will just delete it and set up a new one. I have my own email server so I can do whatever I want to do. I looked today and I have over 600 email addresses that are blocked over the last 17 years from scam and spam artists. Like cockroaches they never seem to go away. I remember the days when people picked your pocket or stole your checks to steal your money. Now they just send out emails and hope somebody makes a mistake.