Federal Trade Commission Warns About Party Invite Scam The Federal Trade Commission has issued a warning regarding a phishing scam that mimics friend or family member invitations to events. The scheme, which targets consumers through text messages or emails, typically claims to be an invitation to a party and requests users to provide their email login credentials to access event details. The FTC emphasized that these messages often appear legitimate, as they are designed to resemble invitations from well-known platforms such as Evite or Paperless Post. According to the FTC, scammers may list a person the recipient knows as the host and prompt them to enter their email username and password to view event information. Some messages also ask for a phone number and a special code to RSVP, which is not standard for real invitations. The agency explained that the goal of these scams is to steal or reset account information, allowing perpetrators to take over victims’ email accounts and propagate the same fraudulent messages to their contacts. The FTC urged consumers to avoid clicking on unexpected invitations and instead verify the authenticity of the request by contacting the alleged host directly. The agency highlighted that phishing attempts often rely on urgency or curiosity to trick users into divulging sensitive information. To protect themselves, individuals are advised to refrain from sharing login details and to report suspicious messages. The FTC provided specific steps for reporting phishing attempts, including forwarding phishing emails to the Anti-Phishing Working Group at reportphishing@apwg.org and texts to SPAM (7726). Additionally, victims can report fraud to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.#federal_trade_commission #phishing_scam #evite #paperless_post #anti_phishing_working_group
