Cybercriminals continue to target university communities with fake job offers, financial aid scams, phishing emails, suspicious meeting invitations, and social media impersonation. Students are often targeted because they are looking for jobs, housing, scholarships, internships, and financial assistance.
Common Cybersecurity Scams to Watch for:
- Fake job and internship opportunities that promise easy income
- Scholarship and financial aid scams requesting personal or financial information
- Housing and rental scams targeting students searching for off-campus accommodations
- AI-generated scams and impersonation attempts on social media
- Sports betting and online gambling schemes
- Romance and catfishing scams designed to build trust and exploit victims
- Fraudulent calls or messages claiming to be from government agencies or law enforcement, particularly targeting international students
- Phishing emails and fake Microsoft 365 login pages designed to steal usernames, passwords, and other sensitive information.
Before responding to unexpected messages, clicking links, or sharing personal information, take a moment to verify the source. If something seems unusual, trust your instincts and report suspicious activity. Staying informed is one of the best ways to protect yourself and the LMU community from cyber threats.
Recognize and Report
When evaluating a message, remember to pause, report, and verify: look for urgent language or unusual requests, report suspicious emails using the Outlook Report Phishing button or by contacting servicedesk@lmu.edu, and confirm requests through a trusted source rather than replying directly.
The LMU Phish Bowl features real-world examples of phishing emails, impersonation attempts, fake job offers, fraudulent invoices, and other scams reported by members of the LMU community. The resource helps students, faculty, and staff recognize current cyber threats and learn how to respond when suspicious messages appear. The site includes examples of common scams targeting higher education, including fake job opportunities, phishing links, Duo push fatigue attacks, gift card scams, fraudulent payment requests, fake Microsoft 365 login pages, and impersonation emails.
If you think you’ve interacted with a phishing message, act quickly by changing your password, reporting the incident to ITS, monitoring any accounts or information you may have shared, and remaining alert for follow-up scam attempts. ITS will share more tips during Cybersecurity Awareness Month in October.