Is this order or prize text from Coles a scam?
No. Coles is one of Australia's largest supermarket chains, and flybuys is a genuine loyalty program. That loyalty program is precisely where scammers aim: points-expiry texts, bonus-points bait and invented delivery problems, all carrying links that Coles and flybuys simply never send. The good news: a few quick checks almost always tell a real Coles message from a fake.
Genuine Coles links lead to coles.com.au, flybuys.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 Coles 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 Coles message looks like
Genuine messages from Coles link to coles.com.au, flybuys.com.au. Treat a link to any other address as a warning sign.
- Genuine Coles or flybuys messages never include clickable links and direct customers to log in via the official Coles app or by manually typing coles.com.au or flybuys.com.au.
- Coles supermarket receipts and flybuys statements always reference your actual recent in-store or online purchases from Coles or Liquorland.
- Flybuys balance updates come through the flybuys.com.au member portal or the Coles app, never via an urgent SMS demanding immediate action.
- Coles never sends SMS from random short codes asking you to confirm personal details or redeem points.
What Coles will never do
- Put clickable links in messages (genuine Coles and flybuys communications direct you to log in via the Coles app or by typing coles.com.au or flybuys.com.au yourself)
- Send an urgent SMS demanding immediate action to save your flybuys points
- Ask you to enter your flybuys card number, password or banking details on a webpage reached from a message
- Text you from random short codes asking you to confirm personal details or redeem points
- Reference purchases you never made (real receipts and statements match your actual Coles or Liquorland activity)
Common Coles scams
- SMS claiming your flybuys points are about to expire and urging you to click a link to claim them before they are lost.
- Messages pretending to be from Coles offering bonus flybuys points if you enter your card details on a fake website.
- Texts stating a Coles online order has a delivery problem and directing you to a link to reschedule or pay extra fees.
Red flags to watch for
- Any SMS or email that contains a link and claims urgent action is needed to save flybuys points.
- Messages that ask you to enter your flybuys card number, password or banking details on a webpage.
- Sender IDs that are long random numbers or names that do not match your usual Coles app notifications.
- Requests to download an attachment or visit a site other than flybuys.com.au or coles.com.au to check your balance.
Coles scam examples
These composed examples show how scams impersonating Coles typically read, with the tells that give each one away. Compare them against anything you've received.
flybuys: Great news! Coles is topping up member balances today. Confirm your flybuys card number at flybuys-bonus-points[.]example to activate your bonus points.
What gives it away:
- Genuine flybuys balance updates arrive through the member portal or the Coles app, never an SMS demanding action
- It asks for your flybuys card number, which is the whole point of the message
- The domain is a lookalike, not flybuys.com.au, and real Coles or flybuys texts carry no clickable links at all
Subject: Problem with your Coles online order. Dear Customer, your delivery could not be scheduled. Reschedule and pay the adjusted delivery fee at coles-delivery-reschedule[.]example or your groceries will be returned.
What gives it away:
- Generic 'Dear Customer' greeting; real Coles communications reference your actual purchases
- A surprise fee payable through an emailed link is card harvesting, not delivery logistics
- The link is not coles.com.au; a genuine order issue would be visible when you log in yourself
COLES: Final notice. Your flybuys points expire tonight. Redeem immediately at coles-points-rescue[.]example or lose your full balance.
What gives it away:
- An urgent points-expiry SMS with a link is the signature flybuys scam; the real program does not operate this way
- 'Final notice' and 'tonight' are pressure tactics aimed at loyal shoppers who value their balance
- Your true balance is one login away at flybuys.com.au or in the Coles app, which costs the scam nothing to survive
Not sure about your message?
Paste the suspicious Coles text or email and get an instant scam verdict, free.
How to verify a message from Coles
Coles's real website is coles.com.au and the official app is the Coles app. Reach Coles through those channels, never through the details inside a message you're unsure about.
- Do not click the link, reply, or enter your flybuys card number or password anywhere the message leads
- Open the Coles app, or type coles.com.au or flybuys.com.au into your browser yourself, and check your points balance and orders there
- Remember the shortcut: genuine Coles and flybuys messages contain no clickable links, so a link is itself the verdict
- If a claimed order or bonus does not appear inside your logged-in account, the message is fake
If you have been scammed in Coles's name
Clicked the link, paid, or shared details? Act now. The first hour matters more than anything else you do later.
- If you entered banking or card details, call your bank immediately, block the card and ask to dispute any charges
- Change your flybuys password at flybuys.com.au straight away, plus anywhere else you reuse it, and check the account for redemptions you did not make
- If you shared identity documents, contact IDCARE (idcare.org) for free identity support
- Report the scam to Scamwatch and ReportCyber using the links below, and forward the scam SMS to 7226 so carriers can block the sender
Where to report a scam impersonating Coles
Received — or fell for — a message impersonating Coles? 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 Coles scams in 2026
Most Coles impersonation right now is really flybuys impersonation: expiring-points texts, bonus-points offers wanting your card number, and the occasional fake delivery-problem message aimed at online shoppers. Campaigns tend to surge around major sales periods and school holidays, when a grocery-related message feels routine. The structure never varies: urgency about points or an order, then a link to a lookalike page. Coles and flybuys have handed customers a clean rule that scammers cannot copy: genuine messages carry no clickable links. Treat any linked Coles or flybuys message as fake, and check your balance by logging in yourself.
Frequently asked questions
I received a text saying my flybuys points are expiring — is this a Coles scam?
Coles and flybuys do not send SMS links about point expiry. Check your balance only by visiting flybuys.com.au directly or opening the Coles app.
How do I know if a Coles or flybuys message is real?
Real communications never contain links and will only reference activity from your actual Coles or Liquorland purchases. Verify everything by logging in at flybuys.com.au yourself.
What should I do if I clicked a link in a fake Coles SMS?
Change your flybuys password immediately via flybuys.com.au, monitor your linked bank accounts, and report the message at scamwatch.gov.au.
What are the real Coles and flybuys websites?
The only genuine sites are coles.com.au and flybuys.com.au. Hyphenated variations that combine the two names or add words like secure or rewards are scam domains. Type the address yourself or use the official Coles app instead of following message links.
How do I report a Coles or flybuys scam?
Report it to Scamwatch (scamwatch.gov.au) so the National Anti-Scam Centre can track the campaign, and forward the scam SMS to 7226 (spells SCAM) so carriers can block the sender. If you lost money or entered card details, call your bank first and also report it to ReportCyber at cyber.gov.au.
Related scam types
Scams impersonating Coles usually fit one of these patterns. Learn how each works:
Related brands
Other retail names scammers impersonate — check a message from one:
Sources
- Text or SMS scams (Scamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre))
- Phishing scams: how scammers pose as trusted organisations (Scamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre))
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice — always verify with Coles through an official channel.