COLUMBIA, S.C. — Authorities say criminals are putting a holiday spin on a common scam to take your information and infect your phones, tablets and computers.

The South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs (SCDCA) said fake holiday event and party invitations are hitting text apps and email accounts this season, hoping victims will think they're real during the holiday season rush.

The agency warned that these messages, which can include links, could install malware that can compromise devices and put personal information at risk.

Still, some of the same precautions used for other scams apply here.

The SCDCA said users who receive an invitation that seems to be real can confirm this by contacting the person through a known and trusted phone number or email address directly - not the

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