Fake party invitation email scam

What the message looks like

How this scam works

Scammers send messages that mimic popular invitation brands. Sometimes the display name looks like a friend or relative, especially if that person's email was already compromised. Excitement about being invited makes people click before they inspect the sender or the URL.

The fake page asks you to sign in with your email password or a one-time code. Once the scammer has that, they can read your mail, reset other accounts, empty loyalty rewards, or launch follow-up fraud from your address. Evite's own support pages warn customers about phishing emails that are not from Evite.

AARP's Fraud Watch Network has heard from people who lost access to email and then saw trouble in banking and rewards accounts that reused the same password. Amy Nofziger of AARP has noted the emotional pull: who doesn't want to be invited to a party?

Holiday calendars fill up fast, which is exactly when a rushed RSVP feels normal. Slow down for password prompts. Real invitations should not need your email account password. If something feels off, ask the host through a phone number or chat you already trust.

Red flags

• The invitation page asks for your email password or a verification code from your inbox.
• The sender address or link domain is not the real invitation brand (look past the logo).
• Urgency: "link expires in 24 hours" or "RSVP required today."
• The host's name is familiar but you were not expecting an invite, and you cannot reach them another way.
• Poor grammar, odd logos or a page that only collects a login.

How to tell it’s fake

1. Never enter your email password to view a party invite. That is not how legitimate RSVPs work.
2. Check the real domain. For Evite, support guidance points to official Evite domains—not look-alikes.
3. Contact the supposed host using a phone number, text thread or social account you already use, and ask if they sent it.
4. If the invite arrived from a friend's account, consider that their email may be compromised and warn them through a different channel.

What to do if you clicked, paid or shared info

Don’t panic, and don’t blame yourself. These scams are built by professionals. Act quickly, one step at a time.

If you clicked a link or called back

• If you only opened the message, delete it and mark it as phishing in your email app.
• If you typed a password, change that email password immediately from a bookmark or typed URL, then change any reused passwords and turn on multifactor authentication.

If you paid

• Party-invite phishing usually steals logins rather than card numbers, but if you also entered payment details for a "gift registry" or ticket, call your card issuer using the number on the card.

If you shared personal info, a password or a code

• Assume the email account is compromised: review forwarding rules, recent sent mail and connected apps.
• Alert contacts that your account may send fake invites, and start IdentityTheft.gov steps if more personal data was exposed.

Questions people ask

Will a real Evite ask for my email password?

No. Viewing an invitation should not require your email account password. Evite warns customers about phishing emails that imitate its brand.

Why do these scams rise around the holidays?

AARP notes fake invitations spike when real parties are common—graduation, summer holidays and the November–December season—because people expect invites and click faster.

The invite came from my friend's address. Is it still a scam?

It can be. Compromised accounts are often used to send fake invites. Verify with your friend through a call or a chat that is not email.

Sources

• AARP: How to spot a fake party invitation before you click
• Evite support: Phishing emails
• WPBF / AARP: Fake party invitation scam warning