Urgent Alert: 1.8B iPhone Users Warned Against Calendar Hijacking Scam
New Scam Targeting iPhone Users Through Calendar Invites
Cybersecurity researchers have issued a warning to iPhone users about a new scam that exploits their calendar invites. This scheme involves flooding victims’ calendars with fake alerts designed to scare or manipulate them into sharing personal information, such as passwords and banking details.
Unlike traditional malware, this scam does not require users to install an app or download software. Instead, the attack is triggered when users accidentally click on a malicious link online. The fake alerts can appear as urgent security warnings, prize notifications, or even fake system messages. Because these calendar subscriptions bypass the App Store, they can seem official and are difficult to stop.
Experts have noted that this tactic is spreading quickly and is targeting both iPhone and iPad users. Apple users are urged to avoid interacting with suspicious notifications, clicking on calendar invites, and to review their calendar settings immediately.
In many cases, the scam works by tricking users into subscribing to a hidden calendar through deceptive pop-ups. Once subscribed, scammers can send unlimited notifications directly to the device. These alerts often include links or phone numbers meant to harvest personal information or payment details.
Security experts emphasize that Apple will never send virus alerts or phishing messages through the Calendar app. Removing these spam calendar alerts typically involves a few steps, but the process is usually straightforward.
One common method is to check for unwanted calendar subscriptions. To do this, go to Settings > Apps > Calendar > Calendar Accounts > Subscribed Calendars. If you see a subscription you do not recognize, delete it to stop the alerts.
Some Apple users have shared alternative methods on Apple’s support forums. One approach is to open the suspicious event, copy the sender’s email address, paste it into your Mail app, then block that sender and delete the message. You can also remove unwanted subscriptions directly from the Calendar app.
To remove a subscription, open the Calendar app, tap the calendar icon at the bottom, find the questionable subscription, tap the information (‘i’) icon, and mark it as junk when prompted.
Researchers have warned that similar notification-based scams are likely to increase as attackers look for new ways to bypass app-store security controls. Several users on Reddit’s r/Apple forum reported similar experiences in response to a post from someone asking if they had been hacked.
One commenter wrote, “Rule of thumb is common sense. If they’re using calendar events to communicate with you, they certainly did not hack into your device.” Another user added, “You need to go into your Calendar subscriptions and remove any that you do not recognize as having subscribed to and then be more careful in opening emails going forward.”
Another suggestion was, “Perhaps set all Calendar invites to have to be manually approved instead of automatically being added from scanned emails.” A user also pointed out, “Even if the spam invite went to your junk mail, it still shows up on your calendar. You have to go find it and delete it from your junk, which is a hassle. Apple needs to fix this.”
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