Have you received any spam emails advertising assignment or study help? Don’t get caught out
We’ve recently become aware of several spam emails and social media messages being sent to Deakin students that promote external study or assignment writing services.
Have you received an email like this?
If you receive an email you’re unsure about or that offers study help:
- Please do not forward or reply to this email, or act on the information it contains.
- Simply delete it from your inbox or, better still, report the email immediately to Deakin’s cybersecurity team, your Unit Chair or Student Complaints in the Dean of Students’ Office.
- Do not make contact with any organisations advertised.
Remember, having someone else produce work for you, whether you pay them or not, is a serious breach of academic integrity and strictly forbidden at Deakin University.
Breaching academic integrity can get you expelled from university
Academic integrity is one of the foundations of our University culture. It relates to creating and submitting your work in an honest and fair way, acting and communicating ethically, and showing respect for the work of others. It also involves taking responsibility for supporting your fellow students to do the right thing.
Having others produce work for you, or enlisting the services of an organisation to produce assignments on your behalf, does not constitute study help; it is contract cheating.
The use of such services to create your assignments is a serious breach of Deakin’s Student Code Of Conduct and Student Academic Integrity Policy, and could result in you being excluded from the University permanently. Even if you’re not caught at the time, we’ve received reports of a number of students being blackmailed about their past behaviour throughout their professional careers.
Replying to suspicious emails can also mean getting scammed
Please don’t click on any hyperlinks or attachments in any suspicious emails you receive, as the email could have come from a hacked Deakin email account or a scammer.
Deakin’s Cybersecurity team recently observed an email campaign that used a compromised Deakin account to send out phishing emails to other Deakin accounts in an attempt to steal personal information.
If you notice anything unusual or odd about an email you’ve received, report the email immediately to Deakin’s cybersecurity team.
Read more about staying safe online.
Don’t get caught out!
Remember to stay vigilant while you’re online to avoid being scammed, and take the following steps to avoid breaching Deakin’s academic integrity standards. Don’t ever be tempted to cheat; it’s just not worth it.
- Make sure you read our Academic Integrity webpage to ensure you’re aware of what constitutes a breach of academic integrity. Not knowing is not an excuse.
- If you notice any posters, emails or social media posts that look suspicious to you, please alert Deakin by contacting your Unit Chair or email Student Life at [email protected].
- We want all Deakin students to be successful in their study and so we provide services and support to enable your success. If you need assistance with your assignments, use the help that is provided by Deakin. This way, you know the support you are receiving is legitimate. Our Study Support service offers a range of help provided by Deakin staff and students, including Smarthinking, our 24/7 online tutoring and assignment feedback platform. You can view the full range of support available on the Current Students website.