Frnds of Frnds Text Invite Scam Messages

How the Scam Works

• The Bait: You receive a text message or email inviting you to an event like a party, wedding, or graduation.
• The Hook: The message uses the name of a real friend, coworker, or ex-acquaintance as the host to look legitimate.
• The Trap: Clicking the link opens a fake login screen (often a spoofed Gmail or Evite page) asking for your email username and password to "view event details" or RSVP.
• The Takeover: If you enter your info, scammers steal your password, log into your real accounts, and blast the same scam text to all of your friends.

Key Red Flags

• Login Demands: A real digital invitation (like Evite or Paperless Post) will never ask a guest to enter their personal email password to see event details.
• Generic Messaging: The text has zero specific details about parking, locations, or dates until you log in.
• Mismatched Links: Hovering over or inspecting the URL reveals it does not lead to an official site like evite.com or paperlesspost.com.

What To Do

1. Do Not Click the Link: If you haven't clicked it, simply ignore the text and delete it.
2. Verify Separately: Call or text your friend directly through your normal contact list to ask if they actually sent it.
3. Change Your Password Immediately: If you already clicked and typed your password, change that account password right away to lock the scammers out.
4. Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Turn on 2FA on your email and social accounts so hackers cannot log in, even if they have your password.
5. Report It: Forward the spam text to 7726 (the universal spam reporting number for mobile carriers) and report it to the FTC Fraud Website.