Officeworks shopping scam message examples
Example scam messages
Subject: Tax invoice OW-2231978, overpayment refund available. Our records show you were double-charged on a recent purchase. View your full receipt and claim the refund at officeworks-billing[.]example. Refunds unclaimed after 24 hours are forfeited.
What gives it away:
- Refund bait attached to a purchase you may not even have made; Officeworks says its invoices can be verified through your online account
- The 'view receipt' link points to a lookalike domain rather than officeworks.com.au, and a refund shouldn't need your card details re-entered through an emailed link
- Forfeiting a refund after 24 hours is not a thing; the deadline exists to stop you checking first
Subject: Final notice, your account will be suspended. We detected a payment problem on your recent order. Re-enter your payment details at officeworks-orders-verify[.]example within 12 hours to keep your account and rewards points active.
What gives it away:
- A request to verify details through a link in an unsolicited email is the scam itself; check your account at officeworks.com.au typed in yourself instead
- A lookalike sender address is a warning sign, but a familiar-looking one proves nothing, because senders can be faked; Officeworks says scammers impersonate its brand in promotional emails, website links, phone calls, text messages and social media posts
- Bundling account suspension with expiring rewards points doubles the pressure, a classic phishing construction
Officeworks Rewards: your points expire TODAY. Redeem your $150 bonus now at ow-rewards-redeem[.]example before midnight.
What gives it away:
- The link is not officeworks.com.au; check your real rewards balance by logging in yourself
- 'Expire today' urgency paired with a bonus you never earned is the standard points-bait formula
- The fake login page it leads to is built to capture your email and password for reuse on your other accounts
How to check a message you've received
Never tap a link in an unexpected message. Instead, paste the text into the free message checker for an instant verdict, or check a suspicious link with the link & website checker. To verify directly, contact Officeworks through its official app or the number on its real website — never the details in the message itself.
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Frequently asked questions
Is this Officeworks message real or a scam?
The messages on this page are defanged examples of Officeworks impersonation scams — illustrations modelled on common scam patterns, not genuine Officeworks messages. To judge a specific message you've received, paste it into the free Scam Scanner checker for an instant verdict, or verify it directly through Officeworks's official app or website.
How can I tell a fake Officeworks message from a genuine one?
Officeworks orders, receipts and rewards balances can be checked by logging in at officeworks.com.au or in the Officeworks app, so check there instead of trusting the sender name, number or link. The examples below break down the tells that give a fake away — unexpected links, urgency, and requests for payment or details. If anything asks you to click a link or hand over information, treat it as suspicious until you've verified it independently.
What should I do if I already clicked a link or paid?
Act quickly: contact your bank, then follow the step-by-step recovery guide at /what-to-do. It walks you through who to contact — your bank, IDCARE and the right reporting channel — in the order that matters most.