myGov scam email or text? How to check it safely

Does myGov send emails and texts?

Yes—but that does not make every message safe. Services Australia: check if a text or email is genuine says Services Australia may tell you about a new myGov Inbox message, a claim’s progress, a payment decision, a reminder or an upcoming appointment.

Its current guidance says it will not:

• send a link in a text message or email;
• send a text labelled “unverified”;
• ask you to open an attachment in a text or email;
• ask you to reply with personal information or myGov sign-in details;
• ask for access to your phone, tablet or computer; or
• threaten account deactivation, fines, arrest or jail.

A notification that contains no link can still be worth checking through your own app or typed address. The routine is not “click if it looks genuine”; it is “go directly to myGov”.

Example: your myGov account is locked

Subject: myGov account locked — action required

Suspicious activity was detected on your account. It will be permanently
locked unless you confirm your details. Click the secure link to unlock it:
hxxp://example[.]invalid/unlock

Example: payment or refund waiting

Subject: Your subsidy refund is ready

Your payment could not be processed because your details are incomplete.
Update your personal and bank details using the button below:
hxxp://example[.]invalid/refund

Example: tax-return problem or digital document

Subject: Discrepancy in your tax return

Dear myGov Customer, our review found a discrepancy in your return.
Open the attached document and confirm your details to avoid legal action.

The examples above are fictional and use a deliberately non-working reserved domain. Real scam wording changes; the link, attachment, request and independent-verification rule are more useful than memorising one screenshot.

How to check a myGov message safely

1. Do not use the message. No link, button, icon, QR code, attachment or supplied phone number.
2. Open the official myGov app or type my.gov.au yourself. Do not search for a lookalike login through the suspicious link.
3. Check your myGov Inbox and account activity. Look for a genuine message or issue connected to the claim.
4. Use official support details. For unusual account activity, follow the privacy and security guidance on the myGov site. For Services Australia records, use your usual official business line.
5. Get help without sharing your password. A trusted person can sit with you while you use the official service; they do not need your sign-in code.

myGov: how to recognise myGov scams explains how to recognise a myGov scam and what to do next. If you have not interacted with the suspicious message, there is no need to enter your details into a page “just to check”.

How to report a myGov scam email or text

• Email: forward the entire email to reportascam@servicesaustralia.gov.au. Services Australia says you do not need to add anything. Delete it and block the sender afterwards.
• Text: email a screenshot that includes the suspicious link to the same address. Delete the text and block the suspicious contact afterwards.
• Social account or message: follow the current reporting page for the screenshot and account details it requests.

These instructions come from Services Australia: report a Services Australia or myGov scam. Use the linked official page for the latest requirements. Reporting an impersonation is different from getting urgent help after exposure.

If you clicked, replied or shared information

• Sign-in details: follow official account-recovery advice and secure any other account that reuses the password. Prioritise your email account.
• Money or card details: call your bank immediately using its official number.
• Identity information: contact IDCARE for a tailored recovery plan in addition to Services Australia.
• Software or remote access: stop contact and get reputable technical support. Follow Cyber.gov.au’s account and malware guidance.

Helping a parent without taking over

Try: “You don’t need to click that to find out. I can sit with you while you open the myGov app yourself. If you already entered anything, we can call the official helpdesk together.”

Keep the person in control, ask consent before helping and never ask them to read out a password or one-time code. Scamwatch: help someone who’s being scammed recommends patient, non-judgemental support and practical recovery steps.