A new scam is making the rounds, using fake Evite party invitations to trick people into downloading malicious software or handing over their email login credentials. The scam works by sending out invitations that appear to come from friends, family members, coworkers, or neighbors, complete with real email signatures, phone numbers, and photos.
How the Scam Works
The scam works differently on computers and smartphones. On computers, the invitation may prompt the user to download an EXE file, which can install malware on the computer. On smartphones, the user may be asked to sign in with their email account, handing over their login credentials to the scammers.
The scam is able to use real email accounts because the scammers have already gained access to the account of one of the user’s contacts. They then use that account to send out fake invitations to everyone in the contact list.
Protecting Yourself
The best way to protect yourself from this scam is to be skeptical of any unexpected invitations. If you weren’t expecting an invitation, don’t click on the link. Instead, contact the sender directly and ask if they really sent it.
Other ways to protect yourself include avoiding downloads of unexpected files, keeping your computer and smartphone up to date with the latest security patches, and turning on two-factor authentication for your email account and other important accounts.
The Federal Trade Commission warns that legitimate invitation services should not require your email password just to view an invitation. If you’re being asked to sign in with your Gmail or Outlook credentials simply to see party details, that’s a major red flag.
If you’ve already clicked on one of these invitations and entered your email password, change your password immediately and turn on two-factor authentication if you haven’t already. Review your account’s security settings and look for any email forwarding rules you didn’t create, and let your contacts know that your account may have been compromised.
Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.
