What to do if…
your calendar fills with spam events that include links and phone numbers

What to do now

1. Stop interacting and capture the source.
   Open one spam event without clicking any links. Take one screenshot that shows the calendar name, sender, or account source, then close it.

2. Work out the most likely source.

   • If you see a calendar name you do not recognise in your calendar list, it is likely a subscribed spam calendar.
   • If the items look like meeting invites from strangers, your calendar may be automatically adding invitations.
   • If the items started after installing an app or connecting a service, that app or service may have calendar access.
   • If the items look like travel, parcel, booking, or bill events copied from email, your email provider may be creating calendar events automatically.

3. If you use iPhone, iPad, Apple Calendar, or iCloud, remove the unwanted calendar.

   • In the Calendar app, tap Calendars, tap the information button next to any calendar you do not recognise, then choose Delete Calendar or Unsubscribe if shown.
   • If the spam is one event from an unknown contact and Report Junk appears, use it.
   • Also check Settings → Calendar → Accounts → Subscribed Calendars if that path appears on your device, and remove anything you do not recognise.

4. If you use Google Calendar, report what you can and stop new unknown invites being added.

   • For an event sent through Google Calendar, open it and use Report as spam if available.
   • Go to Google Calendar settings and change Add invitations to my calendar away from “from everyone”; choose an option such as only adding invitations from known senders or only adding invitations after you respond.
   • Check Other calendars or subscribed calendars and remove any calendar you do not recognise.
   • Remember that invitation settings mainly affect new invitations, so you may still need to remove existing spam events or calendars.

5. If you use Outlook, Outlook.com, or Microsoft 365, check calendar and email-event settings.

   • In Outlook on the web or Outlook.com, open calendar settings and remove unknown additional, shared, or subscribed calendars.
   • If the events look like they were created from emails, go to Calendar → Events from email and choose settings that stop those events appearing on your calendar.
   • If this is a work or school Microsoft 365 account, report it to your IT or security team before changing organisation-managed settings.

6. Check the account behind the calendar.

   • Review recent sign-ins, active sessions, and connected apps for the Google, Apple, Microsoft, or email account that owns the calendar.
   • Revoke calendar access for any app or service you do not recognise.
   • Turn on two-step verification if it is not already on.
   • Change the password if you see unfamiliar access, reused the password elsewhere, entered it into a suspicious page, or cannot rule out someone else signing in.

7. If you clicked, called, installed something, paid, or shared details, contain it now.

   • Stop contact with the sender or caller.
   • If you entered card or banking details, contact your bank or card provider using the number on your card or in your banking app.
   • Forward suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk and suspicious texts to 7726.
   • If you lost money, shared financial details, or think you were hacked after responding, report it to Report Fraud if you are in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland.
   • If you are in Scotland, report cybercrime or fraud to Police Scotland.
   • If this is a workplace account or device, contact your organisation’s IT or security team.