Information updated: Monday 15 January, 4.41pm (AEST)
We are aware of fraudulent and unsolicited emails being sent to members of the QUT community.
The emails do not ask for personal information but are creating a problem by overwhelming people by sending many unwanted messages.
We are aware of the ever-present threat of scam emails and the challenges all organisations face in reducing their impact. While we have technologies in place to mitigate the amount and severity of these emails, it is important to be vigilant when accessing your alumni email account.
What to do
If you are receiving unwanted emails, increase your vigilance and report the messages to your email provider as spam or a scam.
It's good practice to regularly review the emails you have opted in to receive, and unsubscribe from any that you no longer need, ideally using the link at the bottom of the emails sent to you.
- Do not open suspicious or unsolicited emails – delete the email as soon as you realise it is fraudulent.
- Do not click on any links or open any attached files.
- Use security software to protect your computer and your phone.
What we are doing
We treat personal data with respect. When we receive requests to unsubscribe from marketing emails we manually check our marketing database for the individual's personal data, and unsubscribe them.
As a result of these scams we have received complaints from people who don't exist in our marketing system. We have been forwarded some samples of emails being fraudulently sent, and as a result we were able to identify that the emails did not originate from QUT systems.
We have since advised our public contact points that scammers are impersonating us, so they can advise anyone that contacts us with the advice to report these fraudulent emails to their email provider.
The Australian Government's Scamwatch also provides helpful information and resources on how to be alert to email scams. You can also access detailed advice on actions to take if you believe you've been the victim of a scam email.