Is this text or call from Macquarie Bank a scam?
No. Macquarie is a major ASX-listed Australian banking and financial services group, and Macquarie Bank accounts are entirely legitimate. Its wealth-management reputation is exactly what makes it a favourite mask for investment scammers, who send fake 'exclusive opportunity' emails and build counterfeit portals so bogus offers look institutional. The good news: a few quick checks almost always tell a real Macquarie Bank message from a fake.
Genuine Macquarie Bank links lead to macquarie.com.au, macquarie.com — but a link can be made to look real, so don't go by the link alone. Below is how genuine Macquarie Bank 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 Macquarie Bank message looks like
Genuine messages from Macquarie Bank link to macquarie.com.au, macquarie.com. Treat a link to any other address as a warning sign.
- A genuine Macquarie message can be checked without using anything inside it: Macquarie's alerts page says to visit macquarie.com.au directly and log in from there, rather than from a link received in a text or email
- Macquarie's scam guidance says no legitimate financial institution will ask for your personal information in an unsolicited communication, put pressure on you to invest or ask for remote access to your computer or other devices
- Macquarie says it would not promote or contact you on social media to ask you to invest in a new crypto platform
- A sender name proves nothing: Macquarie reports scam texts sent from the sender ID 'Macquarie' that can appear in the same message thread as genuine messages
What a genuine Macquarie Bank contact shouldn't do
- Cold-call or email Australians offering new investment products or high-yield opportunities (Macquarie does not)
- Ask you to move money to a new account or platform to access an opportunity; that request is the scam
- Direct you to log in anywhere other than macquarie.com.au, macquarie.com or the Macquarie app
- Ask for your password or one-time codes by email, SMS or phone; no legitimate bank will
- Ask you to transfer funds to a 'safe account'; no legitimate bank makes that request
Common Macquarie Bank scams
- Scammers send emails claiming to be from Macquarie offering exclusive investment opportunities in shares or crypto
- Fraudsters create fake portals on domains such as macquarie-secure-invest[.]example and ask recipients to transfer funds or provide login details
- Emails impersonating Macquarie warn of suspicious activity on an investment account and include a link to review the activity
- Messages pose as Macquarie research or wealth teams and ask the recipient to click a link to download a performance report
Red flags to watch for
- The message contains a link to a domain that is not macquarie.com.au or macquarie.com
- The email claims Macquarie has found an investment opportunity and urges immediate action
- Contact details in the message differ from those on macquarie.com.au or the Macquarie app
- The sender asks the recipient to move money to a new account or platform to access the opportunity
- The message creates urgency by claiming the offer expires within hours or that funds are at risk
Macquarie Bank scam examples
These composed examples show how scams impersonating Macquarie Bank typically read, with the tells that give each one away. Compare them against anything you've received.
Subject: Invitation: Macquarie fixed-yield allocation closing Friday. Dear Investor, you have been selected for a limited allocation in our capital-guaranteed term notes. Review the offer and fund your allocation at macquarie-private-invest[.]example before the round closes.
What gives it away:
- An unsolicited 'invitation' to invest is a reason to stop; Moneysmart says to be wary of surprise contact and to independently verify who you are dealing with
- The funding link goes to a lookalike address rather than Macquarie's own website; a link that looks right would still prove nothing, so find the offer through the Macquarie app or a site you type yourself
- 'Selected', 'limited allocation' and 'capital-guaranteed' returns are the language of investment scams; Moneysmart says scam offers typically use the phrases 'guaranteed', 'secure' and 'free', and that legitimate investments always involve some level of risk
A polished 'Macquarie wealth portal', reached through a search ad, shows live dashboards and assigns you a personal relationship manager on chat. To activate the account, the manager asks you to transfer an opening deposit to a 'client onboarding' account and keeps suggesting top-ups as the balance appears to grow.
What gives it away:
- Moneysmart says the destination bank account must be in the same name as the licensed investment provider; an opening deposit into an account a chat contact supplies is a reason to stop
- The portal's own contact details prove nothing; Moneysmart says not to rely on contact details provided in an investment offer, so find Macquarie's through its official website yourself and ask directly
- On-screen growth is just a number on a screen; Moneysmart describes a fake investment platform that lets you deposit money but prevents you from withdrawing, so pressure to top up before a withdrawal is 'unlocked' is a warning sign
Subject: Suspicious activity on your Macquarie investment account. We have paused a withdrawal pending review. Sign in within 24 hours at macquarie-account-review[.]example to confirm your identity, or the account will be frozen.
What gives it away:
- The sign-in link is not macquarie.com.au; a genuine alert directs you to the app or official site you already use
- A 24-hour identity deadline paired with a freeze threat is manufactured pressure
- A legitimate Macquarie message references the specific product you actually hold, not a generic 'investment account'
Not sure about your message?
Paste the suspicious Macquarie Bank text or email and get an instant scam verdict, free.
How to verify a message from Macquarie Bank
Macquarie Bank's real website is macquarie.com.au and the official app is the Macquarie app. Reach Macquarie Bank through those channels, never through the details inside a message you're unsure about.
- Don't click the link, reply, or transfer anything; unsolicited offers and urgent reviews can both wait, and genuine ones don't arrive this way
- Log in directly at macquarie.com.au, typed yourself, or through the Macquarie app, and check your accounts and messages there
- Compare any contact details in the message with those published on macquarie.com.au; scam campaigns always differ somewhere, and if in doubt call Macquarie using the official site's numbers
If you have been scammed in Macquarie Bank's name
Clicked the link, paid, or shared details? Act now. The first hour matters more than anything else you do later.
- Call Macquarie immediately using contact details from macquarie.com.au or the Macquarie app; the bank can secure your account and try to trace or freeze transferred funds while it is still possible
- If you sent money to an 'investment platform', also contact your own bank at once and ask for the transfer to be recalled
- Change your Macquarie password from macquarie.com.au or the app, and change it anywhere you reused it
- If you shared identity documents such as a licence or passport, 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 (spells SCAM)
Where to report a scam impersonating Macquarie Bank
Received — or fell for — a message impersonating Macquarie Bank? 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.
Macquarie Bank scam activity in 2026
Macquarie impersonation skews toward investment fraud rather than the usual bank-alert texts. Current campaigns pair professional-looking emails offering fixed-yield or 'capital-guaranteed' allocations with counterfeit portals that display fabricated returns and a chatty relationship manager who steadily requests top-ups. A parallel strand of suspicious-activity emails harvests logins through fake account-review pages. The costume changes, but every version needs the same two things: money moved to an account you've never used, or credentials typed somewhere other than macquarie.com.au. Refusing both, and checking anything unexpected inside the Macquarie app or the site you typed yourself, defeats the lot.
Frequently asked questions
I received an email about a Macquarie investment offer with a link — is it a scam?
Yes. Macquarie does not send unsolicited investment offers. Do not click the link; instead go straight to macquarie.com.au yourself to check your accounts.
How can I tell if a Macquarie email is genuine?
Check that the sender address ends in @macquarie.com.au or @macquarie.com and that any link points only to those domains. If in doubt, log in via the official app or site rather than clicking anything in the email.
What should I do if I clicked a link in a fake Macquarie message?
Change your Macquarie password immediately from macquarie.com.au, monitor your accounts, and report the message at scamwatch.gov.au. If money has moved, also contact IDCARE on 1800 595 160.
What is Macquarie's real website?
Macquarie's genuine websites are macquarie.com.au and macquarie.com, and its accounts are managed through the Macquarie app. Type the address yourself rather than following links or search ads, since fake 'Macquarie' portals are a known investment-scam tactic.
How do I report a Macquarie scam?
Report it to Scamwatch (scamwatch.gov.au) so the National Anti-Scam Centre can track the campaign, and to ReportCyber (cyber.gov.au) if you lost money or shared credentials. If funds have moved, call Macquarie and your own bank first, then forward any scam SMS to 7226 (spells SCAM).
Scam message examples
Related scam types
Scams impersonating Macquarie Bank usually fit one of these patterns. Learn how each works:
Related brands
Other bank names scammers impersonate — check a message from one:
Sources
- Investment 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 Macquarie Bank through an official channel.