Have you received an email inviting you to an “Emergency Budget meeting” with a Google Meet link like meet.google.com/cwm-hcqj-ocs, asking you to join the meeting on a specific date and time? The email might look real, showing guests and options to reply “Yes”, “No”, or “Maybe”.
Question: Is this email really a legitimate Google Meet invitation or is it safe to click the meeting link and join?
Investigation Findings: The button labeled “Join with Google Meet” does not take you to a real Google Meet meeting. Instead, it leads to a phishing website called dialgift.com. This site tries to trick you into giving personal information or login details by pretending to be a safe platform.
Answer: This email is a fraudulent phishing scam. 💡 To protect yourself from scams like this, never click on links from unexpected or suspicious emails. Always check the full email address of the sender and the actual web address by hovering over links before clicking. If you receive meeting invites from work or contacts, confirm with them in a separate message or by phone. Additionally, use security software and keep your devices updated to help spot and block such threats.
A typical “Join Google Meet Email” scam email reads as follows:
Subject: [xxxxxxx] Invitation to Emergency Budget meeting
Join with Google Meet
Meeting link
meet.google.com/cwm-hcqj-ocsWhen
TUESDAY Oct 8, 2025 ⋅ 11:15am – 12pm (Eastern Time – New York)Guests
Md@[xxxxxxxx]
Terrence Keeling – organizerView all guest info
Reply for[xxxxxxxx]
Yes No Maybe
More optionsfor[xxxxxxxx]
🕵️♂️ How the Join Google Meet Email Scam Operates
Scammers behind the Join Google Meet Email Scam start by sending fraudulent calendar invitations or emails that appear to come from legitimate sources, often with urgent or important-sounding subjects such as “Invitation to Emergency Budget meeting”. These emails mimic genuine Google Meet notifications, using familiar branding and language to lower the recipient’s guard.
The invitation includes a “Join with Google Meet” button or link that supposedly directs users to a real Google Meet meeting URL. However, clicking the link actually takes victims to a phishing website like dialgift.com, which is designed to steal login credentials, personal information, or infect the device with malware. The fake site may look very similar to the official Google Meet interface, further increasing the chance of deception.
These scam emails often list real or plausible names as meeting guests or organizers to add credibility and make the invite seem authentic. The invite may include options to RSVP (“Yes,” “No,” or “Maybe”) to engage the recipient further and bypass suspicion.
Once users interact with the phishing link or enter their information, scammers use the stolen data for identity theft, unauthorized access, or financial fraud. Victims might also experience unauthorized account activity or continual phishing attempts.
To pressure users into acting quickly, scammers often highlight urgent meeting times or critical subjects, encouraging hasty clicks without verifying the source. They exploit common trust in Google’s platforms to maximize success.
In summary, the Join Google Meet Email Scam relies on spoofed calendar invites and emails, deceptive links to phishing sites, fake participant lists, and social engineering tactics to trick users into giving up sensitive data. Awareness and verifying meeting invites before clicking are crucial to avoid falling victim to this scam.
📧 What to Do When You Receive the “Join Google Meet” Scam Email
We advise everyone who receives this email to follow the simple steps below to protect yourself from potential scams:
- ❌ Do not believe this email.
- 🔒 NEVER share your personal information and login credentials.
- 📎 Do not open unverified email attachments.
- 🚫 If there’s a link in the scam email, do not click it.
- 🔍 Do not enter your login credentials before examining the URL.
- 📣 Report the scam email to the FTC at www.ftc.gov.
If you accidentally click a phishing link or button in the “Join Google Meet” Email, suspect that your computer is infected with malware, or simply want to scan your computer for threats, use one of the free malware removal tools. Additionally, consider taking the following steps:
- 🔑 Change your passwords: Update passwords for your email, banking, and other important accounts.
- 🛡️ Enable two-factor authentication (2FA): Add an extra layer of security to your accounts.
- 📞 Contact your financial institutions: Inform them of any suspicious activity.
- 🔄 Monitor your accounts: Keep an eye on your bank statements and credit reports for any unusual activity.
🔍 How to Spot a Phishing Email
Phishing emails often share common characteristics; they are designed to trick victims into clicking on a phishing link or opening a malicious attachment. By recognizing these signs, you can detect phishing emails and prevent identity theft:
💡 Here Are Some Ways to Recognize a Phishing Email
- ✉️ Inconsistencies in Email Addresses: The most obvious way to spot a scam email is by finding inconsistencies in email addresses and domain names. If the email claims to be from a reputable company, like Amazon or PayPal, but is sent from a public email domain such as “gmail.com”, it’s probably a scam.
- 🔠 Misspelled Domain Names: Look carefully for any subtle misspellings in the domain name, such as “arnazon.com” where the “m” is replaced by “rn,” or “paypa1.com,” where the “l” is replaced by “1.” These are common tricks used by scammers.
- 👋 Generic Greetings: If the email starts with a generic “Dear Customer”, “Dear Sir”, or “Dear Madam”, it may not be from your actual shopping site or bank.
- 🔗 Suspicious Links: If you suspect an email may be a scam, do not click on any links. Instead, hover over the link without clicking to see the actual URL in a small popup. This works for both image links and text links.
- 📎 Unexpected Attachments: Email attachments should always be verified before opening. Scan any attachments for viruses, especially if they have unfamiliar extensions or are commonly associated with malware (e.g., .zip, .exe, .scr).
- ⏰ Sense of Urgency: Creating a false sense of urgency is a common tactic in phishing emails. Be wary of emails that claim you must act immediately by calling, opening an attachment, or clicking a link.
- 📝 Spelling and Grammar Errors: Many phishing emails contain spelling mistakes or grammatical errors. Professional companies usually proofread their communications carefully.
- 🔒 Requests for Sensitive Information: Legitimate organizations typically do not ask for sensitive information (like passwords or Social Security numbers) via email.
Conclusion
The Join Google Meet Email Scam is a deceptive phishing attempt designed to trick recipients into clicking malicious links under the guise of a legitimate Google Meet invitation. This scam uses urgent and professional-sounding meeting requests, often related to important topics like budget meetings, to create a false sense of legitimacy and urgency.
The “Join with Google Meet” button in these scam emails redirects victims to fraudulent websites such as dialgift.com, which are created to steal personal information, login credentials, or install malware. The email layout mimics authentic Google Meet invitations, including meeting details, organizer names, and guest lists, making it difficult for unsuspecting users to identify the scam at first glance.
Bottom Line: Do not click links or buttons in unexpected or suspicious meeting invites received via email, even if they appear to come from known contacts. Always verify meeting requests through official channels, such as your calendar app or directly contacting the organizer with a trusted communication method. If you suspect you have interacted with a phishing site from this scam, immediately change your passwords, enable two-factor authentication on your accounts, and run an antivirus scan.
