It looks harmless enough.
A digital party invitation lands in your inbox or phone. You click to see the details. Then it asks you to log in or create an account before revealing the event.
That’s where the scam begins.
Fake e-vite phishing scams are on the rise, and they take advantage of something simple: social trust. You’re far more likely to click an invitation than a generic “account alert” or “delivery notice.”
And that’s exactly why scammers are using them.
In fact, here’s a screenshot of a fake phishing email I recently got this holiday season:
When you click the “open invitation” link, it immediately asks you to sign in or create an account with your personal information. That’s the step where scammers steal your private data.
What Is a Fake E-Vite Scam?
A fake e-vite scam is a phishing attack that pretends to be a real invitation from platforms like Paperless Post or other digital invitation services.
The goal is to trick you into:
- Entering your email and password
- Creating a fake account on a malicious site
- Clicking links that lead to credential-stealing pages
- Downloading malware disguised as an invitation
Once scammers have your login information, they can:
- Take over your email
- Reset passwords on other accounts
- Send scams to your contacts
- Launch identity theft attempts
How These Fake Invitation Scams Usually Work
Here’s the most common flow:
- You receive a digital invitation that looks normal
- The message prompts you to “view the invitation”
- You’re redirected to a login or signup page
- You enter your email, password, or personal info
- The invitation never appears
- Your credentials have now been stolen
Because this starts with something familiar and social, many people don’t realize it’s phishing until accounts are already compromised. Plus, scammers then use your email and name to trick friends and family into trusting more fake e-vites from your account.
How to Tell If a Paperless Post Invite Is Real
Paperless Post has publicly acknowledged these scams and shared what legitimate messages actually look like.
Legitimate Paperless Post Emails Will Never:
- Include .EXE attachments
- Include .PDF attachments
- Include any attachments other than image files
Official Paperless Post Email Domains:
Legitimate invitations and account messages only come from:
- paperless@email.paperlesspost.com
- paperlesspost@paperlesspost.com
- paperlesspost@accounts.paperlesspost.com
Official support emails only come from:
- help@paperlesspost.com
- pds@paperlesspost.com
- security@paperlesspost.com
- privacy@paperlesspost.com
- agent@paperlesspost.com
- optout@paperlesspost.com
If the sender does not match one of these exactly, it’s a scam.
Paperless Post also notes that verified emails may display a blue checkmark in supported inboxes to confirm authenticity.
The Biggest Red Flags of a Fake E-Vite
If you see any of the following, do not click:
- You’re forced to log in to “see” who invited you
- The sender email doesn’t match the official domains above
- The invitation creates urgency
- You’re asked for payment to view the event
- The message feels generic instead of personal
- The site address looks slightly off
Why These Scams Are So Effective Right Now
Modern phishing attacks don’t rely on sloppy design anymore. Many now use:
- Polished branding
- Clean layouts
- Familiar platforms
- Friendly language
- Social pressure
Invitation phishing is especially powerful because:
- It triggers curiosity
- It feels harmless
- It mimics real social behavior
- It doesn’t start with fear or threats
- By the time the scam turns risky, your guard is already down.
What To Do If You Clicked a Fake E-Vite
If you entered any information into a suspicious invitation page:
- Immediately change your email password
- Change any other account that reused that password
- Enable two-factor authentication
- Check for unknown login activity
- Warn contacts if your email may have been compromised
- Run a security scan on your device
The faster you act, the more damage you can prevent.
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