Is this order or prize text from Kmart a scam?
No. Kmart Australia is a genuine national retailer with physical stores across the country. Its name is simply popular with scammers, who push fake gift-card giveaways through Facebook and Messenger, dangle bogus voucher balances, and set up lookalike 'support' pages to capture your details. The good news: a few quick checks almost always tell a real Kmart message from a fake.
Genuine Kmart links lead to kmart.com.au — but a link can be made to look real, so don't go by the link alone. Below is how genuine Kmart 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 Kmart message looks like
Genuine messages from Kmart link to kmart.com.au. Treat a link to any other address as a warning sign.
- Kmart offers, vouchers and account notices can be checked by logging in at kmart.com.au or in the Kmart app, so check there instead of trusting the sender name, number or link
- Kmart's competition terms say its Instagram competitions are announced in a Promotion Post on its @kmartaus account, and its Facebook competitions in the Kmart Buzz Facebook Group, with winners notified via the same platform
- Those terms describe entering by commenting on the competition post; a page that wants personal details or a payment to release a prize is not the process they describe
- A sender name, number or email address can be faked, so a matching one isn't proof that a message is from Kmart
What a genuine Kmart contact shouldn't do
- Ask for personal details or a payment to hand over a gift card; no legitimate retailer charges you to receive a prize
- Send you to an outside form to enter a competition; Kmart's competition terms describe entering by commenting on a competition post
- Link you to a third-party domain to log in, verify your account or release a voucher
- Rush you with 'claim now' or 'offer expires today' pressure; check kmart.com.au or the Kmart app instead
Common Kmart scams
- Facebook posts and Messenger messages claiming you have won a Kmart gift card and directing you to a fake entry form
- Scam ads showing a large Kmart voucher balance and asking for personal details or payment to release it
- Messages pretending to be from Kmart Australia support that request a login or verification step on a lookalike site
Red flags to watch for
- Any SMS or social-media message about a Kmart prize or gift card that contains a link
- Requests to click a shortened or misspelled domain instead of kmart.com.au
- Urgent language such as "claim now" or "offer expires today" tied to Kmart
- A prize message on Facebook or Instagram that asks for a payment, card details or an outside entry form; Kmart's own competition terms describe entering by commenting on a competition post
Kmart scam examples
These composed examples show how scams impersonating Kmart typically read, with the tells that give each one away. Compare them against anything you've received.
Shared Facebook post: 'Kmart Australia is celebrating a milestone by giving every sharer a mystery gift card! Like, share and complete the entry form here: kmart-anniversary-gifts[.]example. Winners drawn tonight!'
What gives it away:
- Kmart's competition terms say it runs competitions on Instagram and in the Kmart Buzz Facebook Group and describe entering by commenting on the post; a like-and-share entry form on an outside domain isn't that process
- The entry form sits on a domain that is not kmart.com.au and exists to harvest your personal details
- Like-and-share mechanics plus a same-night draw are engagement bait designed to spread the scam before it is taken down
An ad opens a page showing 'Your Kmart voucher balance: $750' with a progress bar and a form asking for your name, address, date of birth and a small card payment to 'activate and post' the voucher.
What gives it away:
- You cannot have a balance with a retailer from a draw you never entered; the big number is bait
- No legitimate retailer asks for a card payment to release a prize; the 'activation fee' form is a card-details harvester
- The page is not on kmart.com.au, and the date-of-birth request signals identity harvesting on top of card theft
Kmart Support: unusual activity detected on your Kmart account. Verify your identity within 4 hours at kmart-account-verify[.]example to avoid suspension.
What gives it away:
- A sender name or number can't show whether a text is real, because scammers can fake both; check for the notice in your Kmart account or the Kmart app instead
- The verification link points to a lookalike domain instead of kmart.com.au
- A four-hour suspension deadline is manufactured pressure; check your account directly instead
Not sure about your message?
Paste the suspicious Kmart text or email and get an instant scam verdict, free.
How to verify a message from Kmart
Kmart's real website is kmart.com.au and the official app is the Kmart app. Reach Kmart through those channels, never through the details inside a message you're unsure about.
- Do not tap the link, fill in the form or reply to the message or post
- Type kmart.com.au into your browser yourself and check the promotions page; for a competition, check it against Kmart's own @kmartaus Instagram account or Kmart Buzz Facebook Group posts
- If the message mentions your account, log in directly through kmart.com.au or the Kmart app and check for notices there
- Search Scamwatch for current gift-card giveaway scams if the offer still seems plausible
If you have been scammed in Kmart'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 card details, call your bank immediately, block the card and dispute any charges
- If you entered a password, change it on the real kmart.com.au and on every other account where you reused it
- If you handed over identity details such as your date of birth or licence, contact IDCARE (idcare.org) for free identity support
- Report the fake post or page to Facebook or Instagram so it can be removed
- 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 Kmart
Received — or fell for — a message impersonating Kmart? 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.
Kmart scam activity in 2026
Kmart impersonation is overwhelmingly a social media story: viral like-and-share posts promising gift cards, Messenger messages announcing wins, and ads that display an impressive voucher balance before asking for personal details or a small 'release' payment. Fake support messages with lookalike verification pages appear in smaller numbers. The campaigns recycle whatever is topical, anniversaries, new store openings, seasonal sales, but the mechanics stay the same: a prize you never entered for, a link off kmart.com.au, and a deadline. Kmart's own competition terms say its competitions run on its @kmartaus Instagram account and in the Kmart Buzz Facebook Group, with winners notified on the same platform. A prize that asks for card details, a fee or an outside form isn't that process, so check the offer at kmart.com.au or in the Kmart app yourself.
Frequently asked questions
I got a Facebook message saying I've won a Kmart gift card — is it a scam?
Treat it as a scam until you've checked. Kmart's competition terms say it runs regular competitions on Instagram and in the Kmart Buzz Facebook Group, and that winners are notified via the same platform, so the platform alone doesn't settle it. A win you never entered for, or a prize that asks for payment, card details or an outside entry form, is not what those terms describe. Check kmart.com.au or the Kmart app yourself.
How do I know if a Kmart text or message is real?
A sender name, number or link can't prove a message is real, because scammers can fake them. If a text or message claims a prize or an account problem, don't use any link in it; go straight to kmart.com.au or the Kmart app yourself and look for a matching notice.
What should I do if I clicked a link in a fake Kmart message?
Close the page, do not enter any details, scan your device, and report the message to Scamwatch at scamwatch.gov.au.
What is Kmart's real website?
Kmart Australia's website is kmart.com.au, and the Kmart app is its official app. A page on another domain claiming to be Kmart is a warning sign, however polished it looks. Type kmart.com.au yourself instead of following links in posts or messages.
How do I report a Kmart scam?
Report it to Scamwatch (scamwatch.gov.au) so the National Anti-Scam Centre can track the campaign, and report scam posts or pages to the social platform they appeared on. Forward scam texts to 7226 (spells SCAM), and if you lost money, call your bank first and then report to ReportCyber (cyber.gov.au).
Scam message examples
Related scam types
Scams impersonating Kmart 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))
- Report a scam (Scamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre))
- IDCARE: Australia's identity support service (IDCARE)
- Instagram Competition Terms & Conditions (Kmart Australia)
- Kmart Buzz Facebook Group Competition Terms & Conditions (Kmart Australia)
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice — always verify with Kmart through an official channel.