Is this order or prize text from Bunnings a scam?
No. Bunnings is a legitimate hardware and home improvement retailer and one of Australia's most recognised store names. That recognition is exactly what scammers borrow: fake Bunnings gift-card giveaways spread through Facebook ads, comments and lookalike competition pages, none of which Bunnings actually runs. The good news: a few quick checks almost always tell a real Bunnings message from a fake.
Genuine Bunnings links lead to bunnings.com.au — but a link can be made to look real, so don't go by the link alone. Below is exactly what a real Bunnings 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 Bunnings message looks like
Genuine messages from Bunnings link to bunnings.com.au. Treat a link to any other address as a warning sign.
- Bunnings never sends marketing or promotional SMS from short codes or random numbers
- Genuine Bunnings communications about gift cards or competitions are posted only on bunnings.com.au and its verified social accounts
- Bunnings does not ask customers to click links in messages to claim prizes or redeem gift cards
- Any real Bunnings gift card offer requires in-store purchase or redemption through the official website only
What Bunnings will never do
- Ask customers to click links in messages to claim prizes or redeem gift cards
- Charge an activation fee or ask for bank or card details to release a gift card (no legitimate retailer charges you to receive a prize)
- Send marketing or promotional SMS from short codes or random numbers
- Run gift-card offers or competitions anywhere other than bunnings.com.au and its verified social accounts
Common Bunnings scams
- Scammers post Facebook ads or comments promising free Bunnings gift cards if you click a link or fill out a form
- Fraudsters create lookalike pages mimicking Bunnings giveaways and direct users to fake entry sites
- Messages claim you have won a Bunnings gift card and ask for personal details or an upfront fee to release it
Red flags to watch for
- Message or post claims you have won a Bunnings gift card without any prior purchase or entry
- Link uses a domain that is not bunnings.com.au, such as bunnings-giftcards[.]example or bunnings-claim[.]example
- Request for bank details, card numbers or an activation fee to receive the supposed gift card
- Urgent language saying the offer expires today or that only a limited number of cards remain
Bunnings scam examples
These composed examples show how scams impersonating Bunnings typically read, with the tells that give each one away. Compare them against anything you've received.
A Facebook ad carrying the Bunnings logo reads: 'We're celebrating our loyal customers! Answer a few quick questions and enter your details at bunnings-anniversary-win[.]example to grab your free $200 gift card. Limited cards remaining!'
What gives it away:
- Bunnings runs competitions only on bunnings.com.au and its verified social accounts, never through ad-driven entry forms
- You have 'won' without any purchase or entry, the core giveaway lie
- 'Limited cards remaining' is scarcity pressure designed to get your details in before you check
A page styled as an official Bunnings giveaway congratulates you and asks for your name, address and card details to cover 'postage and handling' on the gift card, hosted at bunnings-claim-portal[.]example.
What gives it away:
- The postage or activation fee is the entire scam; no legitimate retailer charges you to receive a prize
- The domain is not bunnings.com.au, whatever the page looks like
- Card details for a 'free' gift card means the gift card was never the product; your card was
Congratulations! Your $200 Bunnings gift card is approved. Pay the small release fee today at bunnings-cardrelease[.]example before the offer expires.
What gives it away:
- Bunnings never sends promotional SMS from short codes or random numbers, so the delivery channel alone exposes it
- A fee to 'release' a prize is a contradiction; real prizes cost nothing to receive
- The expiring-today deadline exists purely to stop you verifying on bunnings.com.au first
Not sure about your message?
Paste the suspicious Bunnings text or email and get an instant scam verdict, free.
How to verify a message from Bunnings
Bunnings's real website is bunnings.com.au and the official app is the Bunnings app. Reach Bunnings through those channels, never through the details inside a message you're unsure about.
- Do not click the link, fill in the form, or pay any fee the message or post asks for
- Type bunnings.com.au into your browser yourself and check the promotions and gift card section; a real offer will be listed there
- Cross-check social posts against Bunnings' verified accounts only; an ad or comment thread is not verification
- Use the official Bunnings app from the App Store or Google Play if you want offers in one trusted place
If you have been scammed in Bunnings'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 a 'release fee' or entered card details, call your bank immediately, block the card and dispute the charge
- If you entered any password, change it on the real site and everywhere else you reuse it
- If you supplied identity documents or extensive personal details, contact IDCARE (idcare.org) for free identity support
- Report the fake page or ad to the platform it appeared on so it can be taken down
- 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 Bunnings
Received — or fell for — a message impersonating Bunnings? 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 Bunnings scams in 2026
Bunnings impersonation is overwhelmingly a social media story: sponsored posts, hijacked comment threads and lookalike competition pages promising free gift cards, refreshed around holidays and big sale weekends when a hardware voucher feels plausible. The mechanics barely change: a logo, a congratulations, then a form wanting personal details or a small 'release fee', which is the whole harvest. Some campaigns now recycle the same creative across texts and emails too. What defeats them is a single check: Bunnings runs gift-card offers only on bunnings.com.au and its verified accounts, so if the offer is not visible there, it does not exist.
Frequently asked questions
I saw a Facebook post offering a free Bunnings gift card — is it a scam?
Yes. Bunnings only runs gift card promotions through bunnings.com.au, not via random Facebook ads or messages.
How do I know if a Bunnings gift card offer is real?
Check the promotions section on bunnings.com.au. Real offers never ask you to click external links or pay fees.
What should I do if I clicked a fake Bunnings gift card link?
Visit scamwatch.gov.au to report it and monitor your accounts for any unusual activity.
What is Bunnings' real website?
The only real Bunnings website is bunnings.com.au. Domains that add words like giftcards, claim or win around the Bunnings name belong to scammers. Type bunnings.com.au yourself, or use the official Bunnings app, rather than trusting links in posts or messages.
How do I report a Bunnings scam?
Report the ad or page to the platform where you saw it, then report the scam to Scamwatch (scamwatch.gov.au) so the National Anti-Scam Centre can track it. Forward any scam SMS to 7226 (spells SCAM), and if you lost money, report it to ReportCyber at cyber.gov.au and call your bank first.
Related scam types
Scams impersonating Bunnings usually fit one of these patterns. Learn how each works:
Related brands
Other retail names scammers impersonate — check a message from one:
Sources
- Social media scams (Scamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre))
- Phishing scams: how scammers pose as trusted organisations (Scamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre))
- Report a scam (Scamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre))
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice — always verify with Bunnings through an official channel.