You're invited to a scam. Crooks plan to party with your information - Detroit Free Press
Summary
Consumers are being targeted by a phishing scam that impersonates friends and popular invitation platforms like Evite. The fraudsters send emails or texts with vague messages like "you're invited" and a link, asking recipients to log in with their email credentials. Once users click the link and enter their information, criminals gain access to their accounts and personal data. The AARP Fraud Watch Network has reported a significant uptick in complaints about this scheme. Amy Nofziger, the network's senior director of victim support, explained that scammers use stolen credentials to try accessing victims' bank accounts, frequent flier miles, and other accounts. The criminals then attempt to use these compromised accounts for financial gain.
Key points
- Scammers send fake invitations via email or text, often impersonating Evite or Paperless Post.
- The messages are vague, often saying "you're invited" and including a link without specific event details.
- Victims are tricked into logging in, which gives criminals access to their email and other accounts.
- Stolen credentials are then used to access frequent flier miles, hotel points, and other accounts.
- Real invitations are highly specific, including details like parking, dress codes, and themes.
- Evite warns that legitimate emails only come from the evite.com domain and are authenticated with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.
Timeline
Amy Nofziger shared her own experience with a suspicious invite.
“"Real hosts are over-communicating — sharing everything from parking instructions and dress codes to very specific themes like ‘Strawberry’ or ‘Western,'"”
Background
The FTC has issued an alert warning about this type of phishing scam.
Why it matters
The scam can lead to the compromise of victims' email accounts and the theft of financial information.
What's next
Evite advises checking the sender's email address and not clicking links in suspicious messages.