'I was surprised - and flattered - to find myself on the guest list'
"Less than 24 hours later, I received another Evite, this time from a friend in New York whom I hadn't seen since before the pandemic." (Photo subject is a model.)
Dear Quentin,
Everyone wants me at their party. Or so it seems. In the past week, I have received two Evites in recent days. At first, I was pleasantly surprised, if a little bewildered because of who they came from. Still, I immediately wondered what the occasions were.
The first came from a friend in San Francisco who recently celebrated his 70th birthday. For years, he was in a deeply troubled relationship with someone who brought a great deal of chaos into his life. At one point, the police were called over allegations of domestic violence.
My friend was a victim, but his partner made the same accusations against him. It was an ugly, confusing situation. So when I received the invitation, my first thought - after recently seeing a photo of the two of them together on vacation - was that they might be getting married.
I had stepped back from the friendship because of the turmoil surrounding that relationship, but I was still curious. When I clicked on the invitation, though, something felt off. The website didn't look legitimate: There was an extra "s" in the URL, and it wasn't a dot.com domain.
Less than 24 hours later, I received another Evite, this time from a friend in New York whom I hadn't seen since before the pandemic. Again, I was surprised - and flattered - to find myself on the guest list, and naturally I wanted to know what the occasion was.
But once again, the link led to a website I didn't recognize. I wasn't about to enter my email address or any personal information. Is this the latest phishing scam? If so, it's a particularly cruel one. Who doesn't like being invited to a party? I love being included.
The Invitee
Related: 'They are relentless': A scammer is trying to change the email on my empty Robinhood account. What do they have to gain?
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Ultimately, you listened to your gut. And it served you well.
Dear Invitee,
Everyone feels warm and fuzzy when they get an invite.
Everything old is new again where scams are concerned. It's a clever and nasty bit of social engineering - a bait and switch that preys on people's curiosity and the simple pleasure of feeling included. They come in waves, so for that reason it's not so surprising that you received two in such quick succession.
The invitation scam is not new, but it's not as widely known as some of the other scams ( like the perfect partner who hits you up on Tinder, or the request to cash a rubber check when you are selling an item on Facebook Marketplace or eBay). All of these companies have warned consumers that bad actors will continue to pretend to be something they're not.
The fake party invite did not lead to the official website for a start, and there were anomalies like an extra "s." Let's hope, if your friend's relationship was as troubled as you say, he does not get further involved with that individual and sign a marriage contract. It might be a fun wedding, but past behavior is the best indicator of future behavior.
It appears that you were happier to see an invite from your New York friend who you have not seen since the pandemic, but you had a sense that something was off. As good as it might have felt for a moment to receive that invitation, a moment is all most phishing scammers need to steal your information. Ultimately, you listened to your gut. And it served you well.
Recent reports
In fact, KMGH-TV in Denver just this week reported about the "You're Invited" scam. A Colorado woman fell victim to this phishing scam after receiving what appeared to be a legitimate digital party invitation from her cousin, this time via Paperless Post. Unfortunately, she clicked the link and entered her log-in information.
Scammers gained access to her Google $(GOOG)$ $(GOOGL)$ account, triggering various security alerts. She then spent weeks securing her accounts and changing passwords. These kinds of links lead to fake log-in pages that steal email passwords, security codes and other credentials. Once inside an account, scammers may use it to target the victim's contacts, and so it continues.
The Federal Trade Commission warns about such criminals who are attempting to capitalize on graduation and summer party season. "Some messages list someone you know as the host and make you enter your email username and password to see event details. Some messages tell you to enter a phone number and share a special code," the agency says.
Change passwords
The FTC advises people to set their computer software to update automatically so it will deal with any new security threats; update your phone's software regularly; use two-factor authentication; and, crucially, act quickly if you think a scammer has gained access to your email account information. If so, change your password right away.
If you are a victim of a scam, contact IdentityTheft.gov, forward the scam to the Anti-Phishing Working Group via reportphishing@apwg.org, and text to SPAM (7726) and/or report the phishing attempt to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The time you took to pause saved you hours, possibly weeks, of stress. It's no fun to get locked out of your accounts.
Scammers leverage popular brands. Your invitation scam could have come from any online invitation service, but the fact that it's an instantly recognizable one helps. An invitation brings a smile to your face, but the fact that you were taken aback by the sender of the invite created just enough friction in the process to give you pause.
That's all you need to slow down and start questioning all the oddities.
Don't miss: 'This scam stuff is going to get worse': A man approached me in my car - he had a crazy story
Check out the Moneyist private Facebook group, where members help answer life's thorniest money issues. Post your questions, or weigh in on the latest Moneyist columns.
Previous columns by Quentin Fottrell:
My mother gave $400K to online scammers. She still gives them Apple gift cards. What can I do?
'I am stuck in a low-income trap': I'm a teacher and very good at my job. Will I ever earn six figures?
'He has been emotionally abusive': My father, 75, is on oxygen and destitute. What do I owe him?
By emailing your questions to the Moneyist or posting your dilemmas on the Moneyist Facebook group, you agree to have them published anonymously on MarketWatch.
-Quentin Fottrell
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