Is this text or email from Australian Federal Police a scam?
No. The Australian Federal Police is Australia's national policing agency and entirely legitimate. What is not legitimate is the wave of calls made in its name: scammers spoof genuine AFP numbers and invent arrest warrants to frighten people into paying with gift cards or cryptocurrency. The good news: a few quick checks almost always tell a real Australian Federal Police message from a fake.
Genuine Australian Federal Police links lead to afp.gov.au — but a link can be made to look real, so don't go by the link alone. Below is exactly what a real Australian Federal Police message looks like, the scams currently circulating in its name, the red flags that give a fake away, and a real example to compare against. Got a message in front of you? Check it now for an instant verdict.
What a real Australian Federal Police message looks like
Genuine messages from Australian Federal Police link to afp.gov.au. Treat a link to any other address as a warning sign.
- Genuine AFP contact about a warrant or investigation begins with an in-person visit or a letter posted to your address, never a cold phone call.
- Real AFP officers identify themselves by name and badge number and will let you verify their identity through afp.gov.au.
- The AFP does not ask for payment, gift cards, cryptocurrency or bank transfers to resolve legal matters.
- Official AFP correspondence uses the domain afp.gov.au and is signed by named officers with contact details listed on the letterhead.
- The AFP will never threaten immediate arrest over the phone or demand you keep the call secret.
What Australian Federal Police will never do
- Ask for payment by gift card, cryptocurrency or bank transfer to resolve a legal matter; no legitimate police force settles warrants over the phone
- Threaten immediate arrest during a call, or order you to keep the call secret from family, your bank or anyone else
- Cold-call you about a warrant; genuine contact about an investigation starts with an in-person visit or a posted letter
- Refuse to give a name, badge number or a case reference you can verify yourself through afp.gov.au
Common Australian Federal Police scams
- Scammers call claiming a warrant has been issued in your name and insist the only way to avoid arrest is to pay immediately by gift card or cryptocurrency.
- Caller ID is spoofed to display a genuine AFP number, making the call appear to come from the real Australian Federal Police.
- The caller pressures the victim to stay on the line, move to another app, or transfer funds before speaking to a 'supervisor' or 'magistrate'.
Red flags to watch for
- Any phone call demanding immediate payment to clear an alleged AFP warrant is fake.
- Requests to pay with iTunes, Steam or cryptocurrency gift cards to resolve a legal matter are never legitimate AFP procedure.
- Threats that you must not tell anyone or you will be arrested are a common social-engineering tactic used by impersonators.
- The caller refuses to give a verifiable case reference number that can be checked on afp.gov.au.
- Pressure to act within minutes and refusal to send written confirmation are hallmarks of AFP impersonation scams.
Australian Federal Police scam examples
These composed examples show how scams impersonating Australian Federal Police typically read, with the tells that give each one away. Compare them against anything you've received.
A caller introducing himself as a 'sergeant with the Australian Federal Police' says a warrant has been issued for your arrest over unpaid fines, and that officers will attend your address today unless you clear the matter immediately by buying Apple gift cards and reading out the codes. He warns you not to tell anyone or the warrant will be 'executed on the spot'.
What gives it away:
- Police never settle warrants by phone, and no legitimate authority anywhere accepts gift cards as payment; the payment method alone proves the scam
- The secrecy demand exists purely to stop your family or bank from talking you out of it
- Real AFP contact about an investigation arrives as an in-person visit or a posted letter, not a surprise call with a same-day deadline
The caller ID matches a published AFP number. The 'officer' says your identity has been linked to money laundering, transfers you to a 'supervisor' for authenticity, then instructs you to move your savings out of your account and to keep the line open while you do it so the 'magistrate' can confirm receipt.
What gives it away:
- A matching caller ID proves nothing; spoofing the AFP's real numbers is exactly how this scam works, so hang up and look the number up on afp.gov.au yourself
- The staged hand-off to a 'supervisor' or 'magistrate' is theatre designed to manufacture authority
- No police force directs citizens to move their own money as part of an investigation; that instruction is the theft
Not sure about your message?
Paste the suspicious Australian Federal Police text or email and get an instant scam verdict, free.
How to verify a message from Australian Federal Police
- Do not pay, stay on the line, or call back any number the caller gives you; hang up first
- Type afp.gov.au into your browser yourself and check the published contact details and current scam warnings there
- If you want to confirm whether the contact was real, call the AFP using a phone number listed on afp.gov.au, never one supplied during the call
- Ask any genuine officer for their name, badge number and a case reference, and verify those details independently before doing anything else
If you have been scammed in Australian Federal Police's name
Clicked the link, paid, or shared details? Act now. The first hour matters more than anything else you do later.
- If you paid by card or bank transfer, call your bank immediately and ask it to stop or recall the payment; the first hours matter most
- If you paid with gift cards, contact the card issuer straight away with the card numbers and receipts and ask for the cards to be frozen
- If you shared identity documents such as a licence, passport or Medicare card, contact IDCARE (idcare.org) for free identity support
- Report the scam to Scamwatch and ReportCyber using the links below, and forward any scam SMS to 7226 so carriers can block the sender
Where to report a scam impersonating Australian Federal Police
Received — or fell for — a message impersonating Australian Federal Police? Report it. It helps authorities and carriers shut the campaign down for everyone who gets the next one.
- Scamwatch — Report the scam to the ACCC's national scam service.
- ReportCyber — Report cybercrime and financial loss to the police.
- ACMA — Complain about scam texts and spam SMS, email or calls.
- Forward to 7226 (SCAM) — Forward the scam SMS to short code 7226 so carriers can block the source.
- IDCARE — Free identity and cyber support if your details were taken.
Latest Australian Federal Police scams in 2026
AFP impersonation remains a steady, phone-first threat. Current campaigns lean hard on spoofed caller IDs that display genuine AFP numbers, scripted hand-offs to a fake 'supervisor' or 'magistrate', and secrecy demands that isolate the victim while the money moves. The warrant story rotates between unpaid fines, identity theft and money-laundering allegations, but the mechanics never change: manufactured terror, a same-day deadline, and payment by gift card, cryptocurrency or transfer. The one habit that defeats every version is refusing to act inside the call. Hang up, look up the AFP's real contact details on afp.gov.au yourself, and treat any payment demand from 'police' as the crime it is.
Frequently asked questions
I received a call from someone claiming to be the AFP saying there is a warrant out for me — is it a scam?
Yes. The real Australian Federal Police do not issue warrants or demand payment by phone. Hang up, do not transfer any money, and check afp.gov.au yourself to confirm.
The caller ID showed a real AFP number — does that mean the call is genuine?
No. Scammers routinely spoof official AFP numbers. Treat any unexpected demand for payment or personal details as suspicious regardless of the displayed caller ID.
What should I do if I have already sent money after an AFP impersonation call?
Contact your bank or gift-card provider immediately to request a stop or reversal, then report the scam to Scamwatch at scamwatch.gov.au and to ReportCyber at cyber.gov.au.
How can I check whether a call or letter is really from the Australian Federal Police?
Independently look up contact details on afp.gov.au and call the number listed there. Never use a phone number given to you during the suspicious call.
What is the Australian Federal Police's real website?
The AFP's only official website is afp.gov.au. All genuine contact details, forms and scam warnings are published there. If a message or caller points you anywhere else to verify a warrant or pay a fine, it is not the AFP.
How do I report an AFP impersonation scam?
Report it to Scamwatch (scamwatch.gov.au) so the National Anti-Scam Centre can track the campaign, and forward any scam SMS to 7226, which spells SCAM. If you lost money or shared personal details, also report it to ReportCyber at cyber.gov.au and tell your bank straight away.
Related scam types
Scams impersonating Australian Federal Police usually fit one of these patterns. Learn how each works:
Related brands
Other government names scammers impersonate — check a message from one:
Sources
- Phone scams (Scamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre))
- Threat scams: threats of arrest, deportation or fines (Scamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre))
- Report a cybercrime or cyber security incident (Australian Cyber Security Centre)
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice — always verify with Australian Federal Police through an official channel.