Cybercriminals are using fake party or calendar invites to trick users into clicking malicious links and sharing personal information.
A new Android malware strain is hiding inside fake apps and “invites,” quietly stealing files, harvesting contacts, and spreading itself to other devices.
Attackers are getting more sophisticated. One popular trick is a phony “invite” email that looks like it’s from a trusted service. It promises an exclusive event or demands you download something to view the details. That single click can be all it takes to install malware on your phone.
I recently received one of those emails. It came from a Gmail address, which made it seem legitimate at a glance. The giveaway was the wording: “Save the invite and install to join the list.” That shouldn’t happen — no legitimate platform asks you to install software just to read an invitation.
The message was slick and mimicked a known event site. The link led to a convincing landing page — but instead of showing event info, the page pushed a download labeled an “invitation.” Installing it would let the attacker:
Learn how to spot the red flags and keep your inbox safe from cyber scams.
In my case the URL ended with “.ru.com” — it looked brand-like at first, but the extra suffix was a red flag. Fraudsters often use near-identical domains to make their pages look authentic.
Watch for these warning signs before you click:
- Requests to “install” or “save” something just to view an invite.
- Urgent or exclusive language that pushes you to act immediately.
- URLs that look almost right but have extra characters, misspellings, or odd domain endings.
- Prompts to download a file when you expected a simple online invitation.
- When in doubt, don’t download — verify with the sender through a separate channel or visit the official site directly.
- Quick safety checklist
- Don’t install anything from an unexpected email.
- Hover over links to inspect the domain (or long-press on mobile). If it looks off, don’t click.
- Verify the invite by contacting the sender through a known channel — not by replying to the suspicious message.
- Type the official website address yourself or search for the event platform rather than following the link.
- Install apps only from official stores and keep your Android OS and apps updated.
If you suspect you’ve installed malware, disconnect from the network, run a trusted mobile security scanner, and consider professional help.
