Is this text or email from Medicare a scam?
No. Medicare is Australia's public health insurance scheme, delivered by Services Australia, and its universal reach makes it one of the most impersonated government names going. The signature lure is a text warning that your card is about to expire, with a link to 'renew' it; real Medicare business happens through your myGov account, never through a link in a message. The good news: a few quick checks almost always tell a real Medicare message from a fake.
Genuine Medicare links lead to servicesaustralia.gov.au, my.gov.au — but a link can be made to look real, so don't go by the link alone. Below is exactly what a real Medicare 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 Medicare message looks like
Genuine SMS from Medicare typically arrive under the sender ID Medicare or myGov, and genuine links lead to servicesaustralia.gov.au, my.gov.au. Treat a link to any other address as a warning sign.
- Genuine Medicare or myGov SMS messages use the exact sender IDs Medicare or myGov
- Official messages direct you to log in at my.gov.au or servicesaustralia.gov.au using your existing myGov account
- Medicare never sends SMS or email links asking you to renew, replace or verify a Medicare card
- Any genuine contact about your Medicare number or card will appear inside your myGov inbox or secure message centre after you have logged in
- Medicare will never ask you to pay a fee to receive or replace a physical Medicare card
What Medicare will never do
- Send an SMS or email link asking you to renew, replace or verify your Medicare card
- Charge a fee to receive or replace a physical Medicare card
- Ask for your Medicare number, bank details or a payment in order to reissue a card
- Contact you about your card or number outside your myGov inbox or secure message centre
- Threaten to cut off your benefits unless you act on a link or form immediately; no legitimate government service applies that kind of pressure by text
Common Medicare scams
- SMS claiming your Medicare card is about to expire and urging you to click a link to order a new one
- Calls or texts stating your Medicare number has been used fraudulently and directing you to a fake login page
- Messages warning that your Medicare benefits will stop unless you confirm your details on an attached or linked form
Red flags to watch for
- The message contains a shortened or unfamiliar link instead of directing you to type servicesaustralia.gov.au or my.gov.au yourself
- It demands immediate action or threatens loss of benefits or card access
- The sender ID looks similar but is not exactly Medicare or myGov
- The message asks for your Medicare number, bank details or payment to reissue a card
Medicare scam examples
These composed examples show how scams impersonating Medicare typically read, with the tells that give each one away. Compare them against anything you've received.
Medicare: our records show your card cannot be reissued until your details are confirmed. Complete the update at medicare-reissue[.]invalid today or claiming will be paused on your account.
What gives it away:
- Medicare never sends links to renew, replace or verify a card; any card matter is handled inside your myGov account
- The link is not my.gov.au or servicesaustralia.gov.au, and 'claiming will be paused' is a scare line, not how Medicare communicates
- There is no fee and no urgent form involved in receiving or replacing a Medicare card, so the entire premise is false
Subject: Suspicious activity on your Medicare number. Dear member, your Medicare number has been used at a clinic in another state. To protect your benefits, verify your identity using the secure form at medicare-fraud-review[.]invalid, or your rebates will be suspended while the matter is investigated.
What gives it away:
- 'Dear member' plus a verification link is classic phishing; genuine contact about your Medicare number appears in your myGov inbox after you log in
- The form exists to harvest the very details it claims to protect: your Medicare number, identity documents and bank details
- Fear of a frozen rebate is the hook; checking your real Medicare account through my.gov.au takes a minute and costs the scam everything
Not sure about your message?
Paste the suspicious Medicare text or email and get an instant scam verdict, free.
How to verify a message from Medicare
- Do not click the link, open any attachment, or reply to the message
- Type my.gov.au into your browser yourself, log in and open your linked Medicare service; any genuine message about your card or claims will be waiting there
- If you still want confirmation, call Medicare on 132 011, the number in its published contact channels, never a number from the message
- Compare the message with the Medicare scam examples Services Australia publishes on its Medicare scams page (linked below)
If you have been scammed in Medicare'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 your myGov password on a fake page, go directly to my.gov.au, change it immediately and review your sign-in security options
- If you shared bank or card details or paid a 'reissue fee', call your bank now to block the card and dispute the payment
- If you gave out your Medicare number or other identity details, contact IDCARE (idcare.org); Medicare numbers are used in identity theft, so early help matters
- Watch your Medicare claims history in myGov for services you didn't receive and query anything unfamiliar
- Report the scam to Services Australia, Scamwatch and ReportCyber using the links below, and forward the scam SMS to 7226
Where to report a scam impersonating Medicare
Received — or fell for — a message impersonating Medicare? Report it. It helps authorities and carriers shut the campaign down for everyone who gets the next one.
- Medicare scam alerts — Medicare's own page on current scams and how to report 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 Medicare scams in 2026
Medicare-themed scams stay in constant circulation because the brand touches everyone and the props are cheap: a green-and-gold card, a familiar name and a plausible deadline. The dominant lure remains the expiring or blocked card text, with a growing sideline in 'your Medicare number was used fraudulently' messages that panic people into handing over the exact identity details being 'protected'. Stolen Medicare numbers then feed later identity fraud, which is what makes these harvesting texts worth reporting even when no money moved. The defeating habit: treat every Medicare link as fake by default, and do all card and claims business by logging in to myGov yourself or calling Medicare's published number.
Frequently asked questions
I got a text from Medicare with a link — is it a scam?
Yes if it asks you to click to renew or verify your card. Medicare does not send links in SMS; log in yourself at my.gov.au to check any messages.
How do I know if a Medicare message is real?
Real Medicare and myGov messages use the exact sender IDs Medicare or myGov, never ask for payment or card details via SMS, and only appear after you log into your myGov account at my.gov.au.
What should I do if I clicked a fake Medicare link?
Change your myGov password immediately, monitor your Medicare and myGov accounts for unusual activity, and report the message at scamwatch.gov.au.
What is Medicare's real website?
Medicare is run by Services Australia, so its genuine web presence lives at servicesaustralia.gov.au, and your own Medicare account is reached through my.gov.au. Type either address yourself; there is no separate 'Medicare renewal' website, and any link claiming to be one is a scam.
How do I report a Medicare scam text?
Report it through the Medicare scams page on servicesaustralia.gov.au and to Scamwatch at scamwatch.gov.au, then forward the text to 7226, which spells SCAM, so carriers can block the sender. If you lost money or shared your myGov login, also report it to ReportCyber at cyber.gov.au.
Related scam types
Scams impersonating Medicare usually fit one of these patterns. Learn how each works:
Related brands
Other government names scammers impersonate — check a message from one:
Sources
- Medicare scams (Services Australia)
- Text or SMS scams (Scamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre))
- IDCARE: Australia's national identity and cyber support service (IDCARE)
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice — always verify with Medicare through an official channel.