Is this text or email from Australian Border Force a scam?
No. The Australian Border Force is the Commonwealth agency responsible for customs and border protection. The scams run in its name instead: cold calls and texts about 'intercepted parcels' with on-the-spot release fees, and arrest or deportation threats built to make you pay before you can think. The good news: a few quick checks almost always tell a real Australian Border Force message from a fake.
Genuine Australian Border Force links lead to abf.gov.au — but a link can be made to look real, so don't go by the link alone. Below is how genuine Australian Border Force contact usually works, the scams commonly run in its name, the red flags that give a fake away, and an example to compare against. Got a message in front of you? Check it now for an instant verdict.
What a real Australian Border Force message looks like
Genuine messages from Australian Border Force link to abf.gov.au. Treat a link to any other address as a warning sign.
- Any claimed customs or border matter can be checked independently: hang up, find the Australian Border Force's contact details on its own website, and call that number rather than one the caller or message gave you
- The Home Affairs Minister's advice on any unexpected call is to hang up straight away and call back using a publicly available number
- If you are expecting a parcel, check its status with the retailer or the carrier's tracking, not through a number or link in an unexpected message
- The Victorian Government lists preloaded debit cards, iTunes gift cards and virtual currency such as Bitcoin as a key sign of a scam, so a demand to pay a customs fee that way is a red flag
- A sender name, caller ID or link is not proof of who is contacting you; the AFP and Queensland Police both say scammers have used real police numbers
What a genuine Australian Border Force contact shouldn't do
- Send SMS about customs fees, parcels or travel documents; the agency does not use SMS for these matters
- Phone you out of nowhere; genuine ABF contact starts with an official letter or email
- Demand immediate payment by gift card, cryptocurrency or bank transfer, methods no legitimate government agency accepts
- Ask for remote access to your computer, or for banking details to 'verify' your identity
- Threaten to destroy goods, fine you or arrest you unless you pay during the same call
Common Australian Border Force scams
- Callers claiming to be ABF officers who say a parcel addressed to you has been intercepted and that you must pay a release fee immediately
- Threats of arrest, fines or deportation unless you provide card details or transfer money over the phone
- Requests to download an app or click a link to “track your package” or “confirm your identity” during the call
Red flags to watch for
- An unexpected phone call from someone claiming to be from the Australian Border Force
- Demand for payment of customs charges or a fine during that same call
- Pressure to act immediately or face arrest or seizure of goods
- Requests for remote access to your computer or banking details to “verify” your identity
Australian Border Force scam examples
These composed examples show how scams impersonating Australian Border Force typically read, with the tells that give each one away. Compare them against anything you've received.
An 'officer' from Border Force says a parcel in your name has been seized at Sydney Airport containing undeclared goods. You can either pay the customs release fee by bank transfer while he stays on the line, or the matter will be escalated to a criminal investigation and police will be sent to your address this afternoon.
What gives it away:
- An unexpected call about a parcel is a reason to hang up and check; the Home Affairs Minister's advice for an unexpected call is to hang up straight away and call back using a publicly available number
- A fee demanded while you stay on the line, backed by a threat of police at your door, is pressure to stop you checking; the Victorian Government says scammers rush you so you don't have time to think things through
- A 'stay on the line' instruction blocks you from calling the agency or your bank; the AFP says that if you suspect a scammer you should end the call immediately
ABF Notice: A package addressed to you is held pending customs clearance. Settle the outstanding duty at border-clearance-au[.]invalid within hours or the goods will be returned to sender and a penalty applied.
What gives it away:
- A text demanding duty within hours is pressure to pay before you check; confirm any customs or parcel matter with the retailer or carrier, or through the Australian Border Force's own website, not through the text
- Don't pay through a link in a text; a lookalike address is easy to make, so open the agency's website yourself rather than using the link
- A countdown plus a penalty threat is a pressure tactic, and a reason to slow down rather than a reason to pay
Not sure about your message?
Paste the suspicious Australian Border Force text or email and get an instant scam verdict, free.
How to verify a message from Australian Border Force
- Do not pay, click, or hand over any details during the call or through the message
- Type abf.gov.au into your browser yourself and check the published customs requirements and contact options there
- Log in to your myGov account or check the official ABF channels listed on abf.gov.au for any genuine border-related notice; if it is real, it will exist in writing
- If you are expecting a parcel, check its status directly with the retailer or the carrier's official site, never through a number or link supplied by the unexpected contact
If you have been scammed in Australian Border Force'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 or shared card or banking details, call your bank immediately to block the card and attempt to stop or recall the transfer
- If you allowed remote access to your device, disconnect it from the internet, change your passwords from a different device, and have it checked before using it for banking again
- If you shared passport or identity details, 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 Border Force
Received — or fell for — a message impersonating Australian Border Force? 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.
Australian Border Force scam activity in 2026
Border Force impersonation keeps riding Australia's online-shopping habits: because most people genuinely have a parcel in transit, a 'held at the border' story lands plausibly on almost anyone. Current campaigns mix cold calls demanding release fees with texts and links dressed up as customs notices, and the harder-edged variant aims arrest or deportation threats at recent migrants and visa holders. The tell never changes: real ABF matters arrive in writing through official channels, while the fake ones demand money or remote access inside a single phone call. Slow the moment down, hang up, and check abf.gov.au or your myGov account yourself; a genuine customs issue will still be there in ten minutes.
Frequently asked questions
I got a call from someone saying they are Australian Border Force about a parcel — is it a scam?
Yes. ABF never phones people out of the blue demanding payment for intercepted parcels. Hang up and report the call at scamwatch.gov.au.
Can Australian Border Force ask me to pay customs fees over the phone?
No. The agency states it never demands customs payments by phone. Any such request is a scam; verify only through abf.gov.au.
How do I check if an ABF message or call is real?
Log into your myGov account or go directly to abf.gov.au yourself. Never use links or numbers supplied in an unexpected contact.
What is the Australian Border Force's real website?
The ABF's only official website is abf.gov.au, and it is the only domain the agency uses for genuine written correspondence. Current customs and border requirements are published openly there, so anything a caller claims can be checked against the site yourself.
How do I report a Border Force impersonation scam?
Report it to Scamwatch at scamwatch.gov.au and forward any scam SMS to 7226, which spells SCAM. If you lost money or gave a scammer access to your device or accounts, also report it to ReportCyber at cyber.gov.au and call your bank straight away.
Scam message examples
Related scam types
Scams impersonating Australian Border Force usually fit one of these patterns. Learn how each works:
Related brands
Other government names scammers impersonate — check a message from one:
Sources
- Threat scams: threats of arrest, deportation or fines (Scamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre))
- Phone scams (Scamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre))
- Report a scam (Scamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre))
- Warning about scam targeting visa applicants (Minister for Home Affairs)
- Stay safe from scams (Victorian Government)
- Scammers using fake AFP credentials to target vulnerable people (Australian Federal Police)
- Police warn of caller ID spoofing scams (Queensland Police Service)
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice — always verify with Australian Border Force through an official channel.