At an institution like SBTS, certain phishing attempts repeatedly target faculty, staff, and students, often in batches around the same time. This series of posts highlights some of the more common phishing schemes that have been reported and uncovered in recent years.
The Evite Party Invitation
A phishing attempt that has seen a notable rise in 2026 involves a fake party or event invitation delivered by email or text message. The email is designed to look like it comes from a well-known invitation platform such as Evite or Punchbowl, and may even list someone you know as the host. What makes this attack particularly effective is that, unlike most phishing attempts that frighten you with threats of a hacked bank account or a legal fine, this one exploits something more benign: the anticipation of a social event.
An Example
How Does it Work?
The email uses the branding and formatting of platforms like Evite or Punchbowl to appear credible, then prompts you to click a link to view the event details or RSVP.
Once you click, one of two things typically happens.
- In the first variant, the link appears dead — nothing loads, but malware has already been installed silently in the background that begins harvesting passwords and personal information from your device.
- In the second variant, the link takes you to a page asking for your email username and password to “view the invitation.” If you provide your credentials, the attacker can take over your email account, reset passwords on any accounts linked to it, and send the same scam to everyone in your contacts.
How to Spot This Phishing Attempt
The invite comes unexpectedly from someone you haven’t spoken to in years. Call or text that person through a separate channel before clicking anything — their account may have been compromised and used to send the email without their knowledge.
The sender’s email address will typically be from a general service like gmail.com, yahoo.com, or an unrelated domain — not from the platform the email claims to represent. This is the most reliable red flag.
The links don’t point to the official platform. Hover your mouse over any link before clicking. Real Evite links point to evite.com or evite.me. If the URL points anywhere else, do not click. In some cases, these attempts may come through text messages, where you are not able to hover over the URL. In those cases, if you haven’t spoken to the person in years, you should not click on it.
The invitation asks you to enter your email password to view it. Legitimate invitation platforms never require this.
The invitation uses vague, generic language. Phrases like “memory-making celebration” with no specific details are a sign the email was mass-produced. Real invitations include specifics.
When I Receive These Emails, What Should I Do?
Do not click any links, and do not enter your email credentials on any page the email directs you to.
You can delete the email or you can report it as phishing. The following guides show how to report the phishing email within Gmail (students and employees) or by using the KnowBe4 Phish Alert Platform (only employees have access to this platform).
- Guide // Report a Phishing Attempt using Gmail’s Reporting (students and employees)
- Guide // Report a Phishing Attempt using the Phish Alert Platform (employees only)
I Already Clicked The Evite. What Should I Do?
If you already clicked the Evite, here are some immediate next steps:
#1 – Clear your browser’s cookies and cache and run a full antivirus scan on your device.
#2 – If you entered your password, change it immediately and enable two-factor authentication on your email and any other important accounts. Many services use email for password recovery, so securing your email account is a critical step.
If you have any additional questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at campustechnology@sbts.edu. If the phishing attempt escalates and your accounts are compromised or your identity is stolen, you can report the fraud at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov.
Image Credit: The image in this post was generated using Gemini