$12.5B
FTC-reported fraud losses in 2024
FTC says consumers reported losing $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024.
calendar invite phishing scam
Attackers send calendar invitations containing phishing links in the event description or location field, which automatically appear in the victim's calendar.
“phishing email”
↑ 215%Key indicators
Usually targetsOffice workers
Often hitsFreelancers and contractors
Common regionUnited States
Last updated2026-04-04
Estimated impact
$600
median reported loss
Typical range$60 – $6.0K
Recovery rate~18%
Annual reports290,000
Scam breakdown
1
Attackers send calendar invitations that auto-populate on the victim's calendar due to default settings in Google Calendar or Outlook.
2
The event contains a phishing link disguised as a meeting URL, payment confirmation, or document share.
3
Clicking the link leads to a credential-harvesting page or malware download.
What to do first
Change your calendar settings to not automatically add events from email invitations.
Related terms
Google Calendar phishingmeeting invite scamcalendar spam attackEmail phishing scamsEmailSurgingOffice workersRemote workersFreelancers and contractorsSmall business ownersPayroll, HR, and finance teamsUnited StatesUnited KingdomCanadaGoogle Calendar phishingmeeting invite scam
Real-world example
How this scam plays out in practice
Based on reported patterns. Names and details are illustrative.
The setup
Fatima, 35, a office workers, encountered what appeared to be a legitimate email phishing scams situation while using Email. Attackers send calendar invitations that auto-populate on the victim's calendar due to default settings in Google Calendar or Outlook.
Step 2
What happened next was calculated: The event contains a phishing link disguised as a meeting URL, payment confirmation, or document share.
Step 3
The pressure escalated quickly: Clicking the link leads to a credential-harvesting page or malware download.
The outcome
Fatima realized something was wrong when a calendar event appears from an unknown sender with a link in the description. By that point, significant damage had already been done — money sent, personal information shared, or trust exploited.
The lesson
Change your calendar settings to not automatically add events from email invitations. Fatima's experience shows why a calendar event appears from an unknown sender with a link in the description and the event is titled with urgency like 'action required' or 'payment confirmation' are the clearest early warning signs.
How to identify it
- A calendar event appears from an unknown sender with a link in the description
- The event is titled with urgency like 'Action Required' or 'Payment Confirmation'
- You did not receive a separate email invitation from someone you recognize
- Pause before paying, clicking, or sharing information. Scammers rely on speed.
- Verify the sender, company, or agency using a phone number or website you already know is legitimate.
- Treat secrecy, urgency, and off-platform payment requests as strong scam signals.
What to do now
- ✓Change your calendar settings to not automatically add events from email invitations.
- ✓Delete unknown calendar events and do not click any links within them.
- ✓Report calendar spam through your calendar app's built-in reporting feature.
What to save before reporting
- ✓Save the message, profile, phone number, email, or URL that was used.
- ✓Keep payment confirmations, receipts, and account alerts before you dispute or delete anything.
- ✓Write down the timeline while the details are still fresh.
- ✓Keep the full sender address, domain, attachments, and—if possible—the raw email headers.
How big is this problem
You are not alone — this scam affects millions of people.
These numbers come from government agencies and official reports. If you have been affected, know that this is a widespread problem — not something that only happens to careless people.
FTC 2024 fraud losses
Imposters
Most common FTC fraud category in 2024
FTC says imposter scams remained the most commonly reported fraud category in 2024.
History and evolution
- This scam family tends to persist because the social-engineering pressure works even when the exact scripts, platforms, and payment methods change.
- The specific packaging evolves over time, but the core pattern usually stays the same: create urgency, control the channel, and push action before verification.
- Google acknowledged the calendar invite phishing vector and added settings to prevent automatic event additions, after widespread reports of calendar spam campaigns.
Recovery and follow-up
- ✓Save the messages, receipts, account alerts, and transaction details before you block or delete anything.
- ✓Report the scam through the official platform or government channel that best matches where it happened.
- ✓Change your calendar settings to not automatically add events from email invitations.
- ✓Delete unknown calendar events and do not click any links within them.
- ✓Report calendar spam through your calendar app's built-in reporting feature.
Why this pattern keeps working
Even when the story changes, most scams still use the same pressure pattern: urgency, authority, and a request to move money or data fast.
Google acknowledged the calendar invite phishing vector and added settings to prevent automatic event additions, after widespread reports of calendar spam campaigns.
OpenScam research
Where to report it
If you have been targeted by this scam, reporting it helps authorities track the pattern and protect others. United States has dedicated agencies that handle fraud reports.
ReportFraud.gov
Federal Trade Commission
Central U.S. consumer fraud reporting portal.
File an IC3 complaint
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center
FBI portal for internet-enabled crime reports.
Start identity theft recovery
IdentityTheft.gov
Official U.S. identity theft recovery plan builder.
Explore further
Understand the bigger picture
Who is most at risk
Who this scam targets
Primary targets
Office workers, Remote workers
Geographic concentration
United States, United Kingdom, Canada
Primary channel
Email — Email phishing scams
Why this group is vulnerable
Office workers are particularly vulnerable because this scam exploits trust in familiar brands, authority figures, and time-sensitive decisions. The rapid increase in reports suggests that awareness among this demographic remains low.
Sources and methodology
How we verify this information
OpenScam tracks scam patterns using a combination of government consumer protection databases (FTC, IC3, Action Fraud), platform-specific fraud reports, and verified consumer complaint data. Each entry is cross-referenced against at least two independent sources before publication.
Severity ratings are based on financial impact potential, reversibility of damage, and volume of reports across multiple reporting channels. Trend velocity reflects the rate of change in report volume over the most recent 90-day window.
This page was last verified on 2026-04-04. Red flags, recovery steps, and reporting resources are reviewed quarterly against current agency guidance.
Evidence and indicators
- Google acknowledged the calendar invite phishing vector and added settings to prevent automatic event additions, after widespread reports of calendar spam campaigns.
Source notes
- OpenScam research
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about calendar invite phishing scam
How does the calendar invite phishing scam work?+
Attackers send calendar invitations that auto-populate on the victim's calendar due to default settings in Google Calendar or Outlook. The event contains a phishing link disguised as a meeting URL, payment confirmation, or document share. Clicking the link leads to a credential-harvesting page or malware download.
What are the warning signs of calendar invite phishing scam?+
A calendar event appears from an unknown sender with a link in the description The event is titled with urgency like 'Action Required' or 'Payment Confirmation' You did not receive a separate email invitation from someone you recognize
What should I do if I encounter calendar invite phishing scam?+
Change your calendar settings to not automatically add events from email invitations. Delete unknown calendar events and do not click any links within them. Report calendar spam through your calendar app's built-in reporting feature.
Who is most at risk for calendar invite phishing scam?+
This scam primarily targets Office workers, Remote workers. It is most commonly reported in United States, United Kingdom, Canada and typically appears on Email.
Is calendar invite phishing scam getting worse?+
calendar invite phishing scam is currently surging — reports are increasing rapidly. It has been reported across US, UK, CA. Last updated 2026-04-04.
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Help someone avoid this scam.
Scammers succeed because people do not talk about it. If you or someone you know has been affected, there is no shame in it — it happens to millions of people every year. Share this page with friends and family so they know what to look for.