How to tell if a text is a scam (Australia): the 10-second check
Most scam advice lists a hundred things to watch for. You don’t have time for a hundred things when a text lands. This is the check we use, the tells that actually matter, and then every common Australian scam by name, so you can go straight to the one in your hand.
The three questions
- Does it want me to do something now? Pay a fee, tap a link, ring a number, reply with a code, move money. Real messages mostly inform you. Scam messages need you — and they need you before you’ve had time to think. Urgency is not a detail of the scam; it is the scam.
- Was I expecting it? A delivery you ordered, a bill that’s due, a code you just requested — expected. A parcel you can’t place, a toll on a road you didn’t drive, a refund you never claimed, a child with a new number — unexpected. Unexpected isn’t always fake, but it always earns the third question.
- Would I use this link or number if I found it myself? This is the one that ends it. Don’t judge the link; ignore it. If the text claims to be your bank, open the bank’s app. If it’s Australia Post, type auspost.com.au. If it’s your daughter on a new number, ring the old one. Real things are always visible somewhere you chose to go. Scams exist only inside the message.
The five tells worth knowing
- A fee to get something you’re owed. A parcel, a refund, a prize, a payment from a buyer. Nobody real charges you to receive.
- A link to log in. Banks, myGov, the ATO and Australia Post don’t send login links by text. Real organisations know you’ll come to them.
- A request for a code. A one-time code is a key. Anyone asking you to read one out — on a call, in a chat, in a reply — is asking for the key.
- A new number for someone you know. “Hi Mum, I’ve lost my phone.” Ring the number you already have.
- A threat or a deadline. Disconnection tonight, a warrant, a fine doubling at midnight, an account closing in 24 hours. Real institutions send letters and give weeks.
Every common scam, by name
Go straight to the one that looks like yours.
- Parcel and delivery texts — Is this Australia Post text real?
- Toll, myGov and Medicare texts — myGov, Linkt and Medicare scam texts
- “Hi Mum” and family-in-trouble messages — the Hi Mum scam and voice clones
- Texts and calls from “your bank” — a text from the bank’s real number, the safe-account scam, the HSBC texts
- ATO and tax refund messages — ATO refund scams, ATO scams in BAS week
- Security alerts and reset popups — the Apple ID “press 1” rescue call
- Buying and selling online — the Marketplace PayID scam, fake stores and deposits, subscription traps
- Jobs and easy money — the WhatsApp “task” job, investment scams, super scams
- Romance and new friends — WhatsApp romance scams
- Threats and blackmail — the blackmail email that knows your address
- Tech support and remote access — the NBN and Telstra remote-access call
- Emergency alerts — Is that AusAlert text real?
- The new “Unverified” label — what it means and what it doesn’t
- For businesses — changed bank details, false billing, the Meta ad account email
If you already clicked, paid or replied
- Clicked a link but entered nothing: close it. Nothing has happened yet.
- Entered a password: change it now, from the real app or site, and turn on two-factor.
- Shared card or bank details: ring your bank on the number on your card. Right now, not later.
- Sent money: ring the bank immediately — speed is everything — then read can I get my money back?
- Read out a code: change that account’s password and check its devices and sessions.
Common questions
What is the fastest way to tell if a text is a scam?
Ask three questions. Does it want me to do something now? Was I expecting it? Would I use this link or number if I found it myself? A text that pushes you to act, that you didn't expect, through a link or number you didn't choose, should be treated as a scam until proven otherwise.
Do real organisations ever send links by text?
Some do, for things you asked for, like a tracking link for a parcel you ordered. But no bank, government agency or courier needs you to log in through a text link. If a message wants a login, a payment or a code, ignore the link and go to the organisation yourself.
The text came from a number I recognise. Does that make it real?
No. Sender numbers and names can be spoofed, and scam texts have landed inside people's genuine bank threads. Judge the message by what it asks you to do, never by who it appears to be from.
What if I'm still not sure?
Do nothing. Nothing bad happens if you ignore a message and check with the organisation yourself. If it was real, it will still be real tomorrow, visible in your account or on their site. Or forward it to a checker and get a plain answer.
Should I reply STOP to scam texts?
No. Replying confirms your number is live and read. Don't reply at all. Delete it, block the sender, and if you want to help others, report it to Scamwatch.
Or skip the checklist entirely
Save one contact. Forward any text, email or photo that feels off, and get the answer back in about ten seconds — looks fine, be careful, or scam — with what to do next. The three questions, done for you, every time.
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