In Australia, almost every scam text fails one test: was there a link? Australia Post, the ATO, myGov and Linkt have each said the same thing in their own words — they never send a clickable link to pay or log in. Answer two quick questions and this checker tells you whether the message fits the pattern, gives you the official fact that gives it away, and shows you exactly how to report it. Free, anonymous, nothing to install.
Australia Post, the ATO, myGov, Linkt and your bank never get you to pay or sign in by texting you a link. So stop asking who a text claims to be from and sort it by what it wants. If an unexpected message needs you to tap a link, sign in, or move money, treat it as a scam — go to the source yourself, and forward the text to 7726.
Most scam-text advice tells you to hunt for spelling mistakes and dodgy grammar. That stopped working years ago — the fakes are clean now, and they spoof the sender ID so a scam slides into the same thread as your genuine alerts. The name on a text proves nothing. But there is one thing the Australian impersonators can’t fake, because it’s a fact about the real organisations themselves: they don’t text you a link to pay or log in.
That isn’t our opinion — it’s what each of them has said in their own words. Australia Post says it will never send an unsolicited SMS that contains a hyperlink. Linkt’s owner, Transurban, says it will never ask for payment details through a link in a text. The ATO and myGov both say they never send an SMS with a link to log in — myGov only ever sends a plain “you have a new message” notice. No Australian bank texts you a link to verify your account either. Once you know that, you don’t have to judge whether a message “feels” right — you only have to notice what it’s asking, and then go to the source yourself instead.
The two messages doing the most damage in Australia right now are the fake Linkt toll notice and the “Hi Mum” text — a “family member” on a new number who urgently needs money. One uses a link, the other uses love, but the defence is identical: don’t act on the message, reach the real toll account or the real person through a channel you find yourself. For where every kind of scam gets reported here and what your bank will and won’t refund, see where to report a scam in Australia, and for the psychology behind the “Hi Mum” con, read how the family-impersonation scam works.
Almost certainly not, if it carries a payment link. The fake Linkt 'unpaid toll — pay now or face a fine' text is one of the most common scams in Australia. Transurban, which runs Linkt, says it will never ask customers to provide payment details via links in text messages, and instead tells people to always log in to their account directly. If you think you might genuinely owe a toll, don't tap the link — open the Linkt app or type linkt.com.au into your browser yourself and check there. The countdown and the threatened fine are manufactured urgency.
No. The ATO and myGov both say they will never send an SMS or email with a link to log in to their online services. myGov sends only one kind of SMS — a plain 'you have a new message in your inbox' notice, with no clickable link. So a texted refund, a debt to 'pay now', or 'your account is suspended, verify here' is always a scam. Reach these services the way they tell you to: type ato.gov.au or my.gov.au into your browser, or use the official myGov app. You can report ATO impersonation to ReportScams@ato.gov.au.
No. Australia Post is explicit that it will never send an unsolicited SMS containing a hyperlink, and will never ask for personal or payment details by text. Genuine Australia Post links only ever go to auspost.com.au. The small 'redelivery' or 'customs' fee is just the hook to get you onto a lookalike page that captures your card number. Track any parcel yourself in the AusPost app or at auspost.com.au.
7726 (it spells SPAM on a keypad) is a free shortcode that all the major Australian carriers support for reporting suspected scam texts. Forwarding a smishing message to it routes the report into the carriers' and the ACMA's database, which feeds telco-level blocking of the campaign. It costs nothing and it's the fastest single action that helps stop the same text reaching other people. To actually log the scam, also report it to Scamwatch (the National Anti-Scam Centre) at scamwatch.gov.au.
Don't send anything, and don't reply. The 'Hi Mum' text — a child or relative messaging from a 'new number' because their 'phone is broken', then urgently needing money for a bill or a locked account — is one of Australia's most reported scams. It works on love and urgency, not a link. Call the person on the number you already have for them before you send a cent. If they say they can't take a call right now, treat that as the red flag, not as a reason to rush. Forward the text to 7726 and report it to Scamwatch.
Move quickly. Call your bank's fraud line immediately using the number on the back of your card — not any number from the text — and ask them to try to stop or claw back the payment and watch the account. Change the password for any account whose login you entered. Report the cybercrime at ReportCyber (cyber.gov.au) and the scam to Scamwatch. If your identity may be exposed, contact IDCARE — Australia and New Zealand's free national identity and cyber support service — on 1800 595 160 or at idcare.org. Then ignore any 'recovery' contact that appears within days; that's the follow-on scam.
No — and it's careful not to pretend otherwise. The tool gives general guidance based on the published advice of Australia Post, the ATO, myGov, Linkt and Scamwatch; it doesn't see your actual message. When the answer is uncertain, it tells you to treat the text as a scam and verify with the organisation directly through its official app or website. For a real human to look at a specific message, you can submit a free, confidential case review.
Every fact in this tool comes from these Australian authorities. Click any to verify.