How do I spot a fake Google Calendar invitation before it tricks me?

Scammers are planting phishing messages inside Google Calendar invitations — a fake meeting warning that a subscription is about to charge you. Treat any event you did not create like an unsolicited text: never tap its links or call its numbers; report it as spam and delete it instead.

A meeting you never scheduled pops up on your calendar, warning that a subscription is about to charge you. Short answer: Treat any calendar event you did not create the way you would treat an unsolicited text — do not tap its links, do not call any number listed in it, and report and delete it. Scammers send out calendar invitations carrying phishing messages, and depending on your settings, an invite can land on your calendar even when the email that carried it was filtered away.

Security researchers reported a sharp rise in this tactic in September, which is why the surprise itself deserves your suspicion.1. Tighten your invitation settings. Open Google Calendar’s settings and set invitations so only known senders — or only events you have responded to — get added to your calendar automatically.2.

Never use the contact details inside an unexpected event. Skip its phone numbers, password links, and support links completely. If a real account needs your attention, go to the company directly through its app or official website.3.

Report the event as spam, then delete it. Do not decline it — declining can confirm to the sender that your address is active and being watched.4. Act fast if you already clicked.

If you followed a link and entered a password, change that password from the company’s real site right away and turn on two-factor authentication.Pro tip: A real subscription company will never renew you through a calendar event. A billing warning that arrives as a meeting invite is a costume, not a bill.Ad’s take: Your calendar feels private, so this one sneaks past your guard. If an event shows up that you did not put there, that surprise IS the warning sign — slow down and check somewhere else first.