Is this text or email from myGov a scam?
No. myGov is the Australian Government's sign-in service for Centrelink, Medicare, the ATO and other linked services, and that reach makes it one of the most impersonated names in the country. Fake suspension texts and lookalike sign-in pages trade on that trust, so treat any myGov message containing a link as hostile until you have verified it yourself. The good news: a few quick checks almost always tell a real myGov message from a fake.
Genuine myGov links lead to my.gov.au, servicesaustralia.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 myGov 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 myGov message looks like
Genuine SMS from myGov typically arrive under the sender ID myGov, and genuine links lead to my.gov.au, servicesaustralia.gov.au. Treat a link to any other address as a warning sign.
- Genuine myGov SMS show the sender ID 'myGov' — but scammers can spoof sender IDs, so judge the message, not the name it appears under
- A genuine myGov email comes from an @my.gov.au or @servicesaustralia.gov.au address, but addresses can be faked — don't rely on that alone; sign in by typing my.gov.au yourself or using the myGov app
- Notifications direct users to open the official myGov app or manually type my.gov.au into a browser
- Messages reference specific existing claims or services already linked to the recipient’s myGov account
- myGov states it will only text you to say you have a new myGov Inbox message — a myGov text with a link to click on is a scam
What myGov will never do
- Text you anything other than a notice that you have a new myGov Inbox message (myGov states a text with a link to click on is a scam)
- Ask for your myGov password, security code or bank details by SMS or email
- Send a clickable link asking you to log in or verify your myGov details
- Threaten you with suspended access, blocked payments or lost tax records unless you act through a message (no legitimate government service pressures you into a link)
Common myGov scams
- SMS claiming Centrelink payments or myGov access has been suspended and urging an immediate login via a supplied link
- Emails from lookalike domains such as my-gov[.]example or mygov-au[.]example that mimic the myGov login page
- Messages threatening account lockout or loss of tax records unless the recipient clicks the link and verifies details
Red flags to watch for
- The domain shown is my-gov[.]example, mygov-au[.]example or login-mygov[.]example instead of exactly my.gov.au
- The message contains a clickable link asking you to log in or verify your myGov details
- Urgent language about suspended access, blocked payments or immediate action required
- The SMS or email asks for your myGov password, security code or bank details
myGov scam examples
These composed examples show how scams impersonating myGov typically read, with the tells that give each one away. Compare them against anything you've received.
myGov: Your Centrelink payments have been placed on hold pending an identity check. Restore access now at mygov-restore[.]example or your account will be suspended.
What gives it away:
- Real myGov texts only announce a new Inbox message and never contain a link, so the link alone settles it
- The domain is not my.gov.au; hyphenated or reworded variants are the classic lookalike trick
- A payment hold that can supposedly only be fixed through a text link is manufactured pressure; a genuine issue would be waiting in your myGov Inbox
Subject: Action required: your myGov account is locked. We detected unusual sign-in activity on your account. Confirm your identity at my-gov-signin[.]example today or your tax records will be permanently archived.
What gives it away:
- Genuine notices sit in your myGov Inbox, which you reach by typing my.gov.au yourself, not through an emailed sign-in link
- The lookalike domain adds hyphens and extra words to the real name
- The threat of losing tax records is bait; nothing in myGov disappears because you ignored an email
Not sure about your message?
Paste the suspicious myGov text or email and get an instant scam verdict, free.
How to verify a message from myGov
myGov's real website is my.gov.au and the official app is the myGov app. Reach myGov through those channels, never through the details inside a message you're unsure about.
- Don't tap the link, reply, or act on the message in any way
- Open the myGov app, or type my.gov.au into your browser yourself, and sign in; any genuine notice will be waiting in your myGov Inbox
- Check the services linked to your account (Centrelink, Medicare, ATO) through that same sign-in rather than any address a message supplies
- Compare the message against the current scams myGov lists on its scams page (linked below)
If you have been scammed in myGov's name
Clicked the link, paid, or shared details? Act now. The first hour matters more than anything else you do later.
- Change your myGov password immediately by typing my.gov.au yourself, and change it anywhere else you reused it
- Sign in and check your linked services for changes you did not make, such as updated bank details or new claims
- If you entered card or bank details, call your bank straight away so it can block the card and watch for fraudulent transactions
- If you shared identity documents (licence, passport, Medicare card), 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 so carriers can block the sender
Where to report a scam impersonating myGov
Received — or fell for — a message impersonating myGov? Report it. It helps authorities and carriers shut the campaign down for everyone who gets the next one.
- myGov scam alerts — myGov'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 myGov scams in 2026
Campaigns in myGov's name rotate through a few reliable frames: Centrelink payments 'on hold', myGov access 'suspended', and tax records about to be 'archived', each pointing at a lookalike sign-in page built to harvest the one password that unlocks Centrelink, Medicare and ATO services at once. The wrapping changes; the mechanics never do: a threat, a deadline, and a link. The habit that defeats every variant is knowing myGov's own rule: it only texts to say you have a new Inbox message, so a myGov text with a link is a scam by definition. Type my.gov.au yourself or use the myGov app, and let the message prove itself there.
Frequently asked questions
I got a text from myGov with a link — is it a scam?
Yes. myGov states it only texts you to say you have a new Inbox message — a myGov text with a link to click on is a scam. Delete it and sign in by typing my.gov.au yourself.
How can I tell if a myGov email is real?
A genuine myGov email comes from @my.gov.au or @servicesaustralia.gov.au, and a lookalike with hyphens or extra words (like my-gov[.]example) is a scam — but a sender address can also be faked, so don't judge by it alone. Don't click links; sign in by typing my.gov.au yourself.
What should I do if I clicked a suspicious myGov link?
Change your myGov password immediately from my.gov.au, monitor your linked services, and report the message at scamwatch.gov.au.
What is myGov's real website?
The only real myGov address is my.gov.au, and Services Australia lives at servicesaustralia.gov.au. Anything with hyphens, extra words or a different ending is a fake. The safest habit is to type my.gov.au yourself or use the official myGov app rather than following any link.
How do I report a myGov scam?
Report it through myGov's own scams page so the campaign can be acted on, and to Scamwatch (scamwatch.gov.au) so the National Anti-Scam Centre can track it. Forward scam texts to 7226 (spells SCAM) so carriers can block the sender, and if you lost money or shared credentials, also report to ReportCyber at cyber.gov.au.
Related scam types
Scams impersonating myGov usually fit one of these patterns. Learn how each works:
Related brands
Other government names scammers impersonate — check a message from one:
Sources
- myGov scams (myGov)
- Phishing scams: how scammers pose as trusted organisations (Scamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre))
- Text or SMS scams (Scamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre))
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice — always verify with myGov through an official channel.