As graduation season approaches, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is alerting consumers to a new phishing scam targeting unsuspecting individuals through fake digital invitations. These scams, designed to steal personal information, are being sent via texts and emails that appear to originate from popular invitation services like Evite and Paperless Post.
How the Scam Operates
The FTC explains that these fraudulent messages often claim to be from someone the recipient knows, inviting them to a graduation party or summer celebration. The scam typically involves directing the recipient to a login page where they are asked to enter their email credentials or provide a phone number and a one-time verification code. This information can then be used by scammers to take over email accounts and send additional phishing messages to the victim’s contacts.
Legitimate invitation platforms generally do not require users to provide passwords or special access codes to view invitations. Therefore, the FTC advises consumers to be cautious and to contact the supposed host directly if they receive an unexpected invitation.
Protecting Yourself from Phishing Scams
The FTC offers several recommendations to help consumers protect themselves from these scams:
- Keep computer and phone software updated to defend against security threats.
- Use two-factor authentication on email and other online accounts.
- Avoid clicking on suspicious links or entering login credentials on unfamiliar websites.
- Change passwords immediately if you suspect your account information has been compromised.
Consumers are encouraged to report phishing emails to [email protected] and forward scam text messages to 7726, which spells SPAM. Additionally, phishing attempts can be reported to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Original reporting: WQAD (Quad Cities) — read the source article.
