La Trobe’s cybersecurity team have recently identified and blocked a scam attempt involving a contact named Meem Academic Help (ariarye@meemacademichelp.com), who was reaching out to La Trobe staff (and possibly La Trobe students) via Microsoft Teams. These calls were likely part of a fraudulent scheme offering academic assistance with the intent to steal money.
If you accepted a call or engaged with this contact, please reach out immediately to cybersecurity@latrobe.edu.au for further assistance.
How to spot a scammer on Microsoft Teams
Here are a few key signs to help you identify suspicious contacts:
- Unexpected contact: You receive a call or message from someone you don’t know, especially from outside the university
- Unusual email domains: The contact uses a non-La Trobe email address (e.g. @meemacademichelp.com).
- Urgent or emotional appeals: They pressure you to act quickly or use emotional language to gain sympathy.
- Requests for money or sensitive info: They ask for payments, banking details or personal information.
- Poor grammar or formatting: Messages may contain spelling errors or look unprofessional.
What we’re doing
Our cybersecurity team has already blocked this specific scam attempt and continue to monitor for similar threats. Your vigilance is key to keeping our community safe.
If you’re ever unsure about a contact or message, don’t engage: please report it immediately to cybersecurity@latrobe.edu.au.