iCloud Calendar spam has been a problem for many users since 2016 and earlier, and Apple has made a handful of changes and improvements to remedy the situation. Despite Apple’s best efforts, however, the problem continues to affect iCloud users, and it’s once again receiving widespread attention.
There are multiple ways spam calendars have been delivered to users over the years. For instance, in 2016, we highlighted how iCloud users were receiving spam Calendar and Photo Sharing invitations. As we wrote then:
Essentially what happens in these instances is an iCloud user will receive a request for either a Calendar event or to view/share an iCloud Photo Sharing album or image. The issue with this type of spam is that, even if the user hits “Decline,” it informs the spammer that the account is active and thus encourages them to continue sending the spam.
So, if you receive a Calendar invite that’s spam and simply choose the “Decline” option, the problem won’t go away. In fact, it’s likely to increase because the spammer knows that the account is active.
Calendar spam is also commonly distributed through pop-ups on shady websites. A new thread on Reddit this week has garnered nearly 5,000 upvotes and is calling on Apple to roll out additional protections against these pop-ups. This thread is what’s put the Calendar spam problem back in the spotlight once again.
In many instances, this is a simple pop-up that will appear as a Safari dialog box when you visit certain websites. The pop-up simply asks whether you would like to add a rogue calendar subscription, and apparently many people simply tap “OK” to move on to the next screen and continue to load the web page.
Apple’s solution
The problem of calendar spam on iPhone has become so widespread that Apple has even published a video on YouTube on how to remove calendar spam. Apple says you should:
- Open the Calendar app
- Tap a spam event
- Look for the “Unsubscribe from this Calendar” button at the bottom
Doing this will automatically remove all other spam events from that specific calendar from your iPhone. You’ll need to repeat the process, however, if you’ve managed to subscribe to multiple spam calendars. This process is significantly easier than it used to be, indicating that Apple is aware of the problem and working to make changes.
Apple also rolled out a new “Report Junk” button to iCloud Calendars, which helps users remove unwanted junk from their calendars. Apple’s efforts, however, have focused mainly on iCloud calendar invite spam, rather than spam and junk calendar events added because of Safari pop-ups.
The best thing you can do, however, is always make sure you always thoroughly read pop-up notifications in Safari and not randomly click through to load webpages as quickly as possible.
Have you ever experienced spam events appearing in your Calendar app? Let us know down in the comments!
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What to Know
- Problem: An unwanted calendar that sends frequent notifications or the calendar notifications seem like phishing attempts.
- To adjust, go to Settings > Notifications > Calendar > and make sure the slider for Allow Notifications is off (not green).
This article explains how to stop receiving calendar spam on your iPhone and provides information on removing spam invites or spam calendars.
How Do I Stop iCloud Calendar Spam and Junk?
Spammers are clever, and it didn't take them long to figure out they can send random calendar invites to iPhone users to facilitate a phishing scam or other nefarious tasks. And thus, calendar spam was born. The question now is, how do you get right of it?
You may not be able to stop calendar spam entirely, but there are certainly a few strategies you can use to reduce the level of spam you receive on your calendar.
First, you should know how to deal with spam calendar invites. It's natural to want to open them and click the link to deny the invite, but don't do it. When you click any response button or link in a calendar invite, you're notifying the spammer the email address they used is active. Then suddenly, the spam level in your calendar and your email double or triple because your information is put on an "active" list and sold and resold. So, if you get an invite you don't recognize, delete it immediately.
Next, if you're getting so many automatic calendar notifications they've become intrusive, you can turn off notifications. Of course, doing so also turns off legitimate calendar notifications, so it's something to keep in mind. But if you do want to turn off those notifications, you can go to Settings > Notifications > Calendar > and make sure the slider for Allow Notifications is grey (green means On).
Another way to turn off notifications for a calendar is in the calendar app:
Tap Calendar at the bottom of the screen.
Select the Information icon to the right of the specific calendar for which you don't want to receive notifications.
Scroll down and make sure the Even Alerts toggle is grey.
Other Tips for Getting Rid of Spam Invites
You can also try faking out spammers by using a disposable email address or a honey-pot address to sign up for everything. It's an email address you use when you're signing up for newsletters, free downloads, and other marketing-type products or services. The address won't be your primary one, and you probably won't check it very often. It's also an address you don't connect to any email application on your phone, so you don't receive notifications, calendar invites, or other communications unless you choose to open the email box. Any free email service provider is suitable for this option.
How Do I Unsubscribe From Spam Calendars?
If you've accidentally subscribed to a calendar that is nothing but spam, you can also wholly unsubscribe from that calendar to stop the notifications from being sent to you. To do so, open Calendar and tap the unwanted calendar event, then tap Unsubscribe from this Calendar at the bottom of the screen. You may also need to tap Unsubscribe to confirm you want to unsubscribe from the calendar.
Another option is to delete the Calendar from your listings. To delete a calendar, follow these instructions:
Go to Settings on your iPhone.
Tap Calendar.
Tap Accounts.
Select the account you want to delete.
Tap Delete Account.
The tap Delete from My iPhone to confirm you want to remove the calendar account from your iPhone. This will not remove the calendar from other connected accounts (such as iPadOS or macOS).
How Do I Remove a Virus From My iPhone Calendar?
It may seem like you have a virus in your calendar when you keep getting spam invitation notifications, but it's doubtful you have a virus. Instead, it's more likely just a notifications issue. Or it's possible spammers have gotten hold of your email address and are repeatedly sending calendar invites. In either case, there is no virus you need to worry about removing. Instead, following the instructions above to turn off calendar notifications, unsubscribe from unwanted calendars, or delete unused calendars should fix the problem you're having.
How Do I Unsubscribe From iPhone Calendar Events?
If you have accidentally accepted a calendar invite from someone for an event you don't want to attend, you can delete the calendar by opening it up and selecting the Delete Event option. In rare instances, you may not be able to delete the event. If that's the case, all you can do is ignore it, but be cautious that you don't accidentally accept or decline the invitation or click any links within the invitation.
FAQ
Why does my iPhone Calendar get so much spam?
Unless you have a virus, you can only get spam from calendars you subscribe to, so unsubscribe to any calendars that bombard you with invites. Avoid subscribing to suspicious calendars with vague descriptions.
How do I report spam invites in my iPhone calendar?
In the calendar app, open the event and tap Report Junk. Apple will review the calendar to see if it is indeed spam. Either way, you'll no longer receive event invites.
Why can't I delete an iPhone calendar event?
Some spam calendars can't be deleted in the Calendar app. Go to Settings > Passwords & Accounts. Under Accounts, select the calendar and tap Delete Account. If you still can't delete it, you might have a virus.
Thanks for letting us know!
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