Is this bill or text from Optus a scam?
No. Optus is one of Australia's largest telcos and a legitimate company. What is not legitimate is the steady stream of texts sent in its name: 'verify your identity' messages fishing for licence and passport photos, reward-voucher links leading to fake login pages, and 'Optus Billing' suspension threats. The good news: a few quick checks almost always tell a real Optus message from a fake.
Genuine Optus links lead to optus.com.au — but a link can be made to look real, so don't go by the link alone. Below is how genuine Optus 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 Optus message looks like
Genuine SMS from Optus typically arrive under the sender ID Optus or OPTUS, but sender IDs can be spoofed, so the name alone proves nothing. Genuine links lead to optus.com.au. Treat a link to any other address as a warning sign.
- Optus says real businesses like Optus will only communicate through official channels, and recommends the My Optus app as your trusted secure channel when dealing with Optus
- Optus says its texts show 'Optus' or one of the other registered sender IDs it uses, as well as numeric sender IDs, so the name at the top of a text can't settle whether it's genuine
- Optus asks you to tell it through the My Optus app or My Account if you're concerned about a message supposedly from it
- Anything genuine, such as a credit, a bill or a notice, can be checked in your My Optus account without using a link in a message
What a genuine Optus contact shouldn't do
- Ask you to send a driver's licence or passport through a link in a text; as a general rule, don't, and check in the My Optus app first
- Make you log in through a message link to collect a surprise credit or reward; a genuine credit can be checked in your account instead
- Threaten suspension unless you 'verify' yourself through a link in a text; check any account claim in the My Optus app instead
- Need you to click a link in an unexpected message; Optus advises verifying the sender's identity through an independent channel and not clicking links in unexpected messages
Common Optus scams
- SMS claiming you have a rewards voucher or bill credit that links to a fake login page on a lookalike domain such as optus-secure-login[.]example.
- Post-breach 'verify your identity' texts that ask you to upload a driver's licence or passport photo through an SMS link.
- Messages pretending to be from Optus Billing warning of account suspension and directing you to a phishing site on optus-billing[.]example.
Red flags to watch for
- The message claims to be from Optus but pushes you to act through a link or number inside it, whatever name it shows at the top.
- The message contains a link asking you to verify identity or claim a reward.
- Urgent language about account suspension or loss of service.
- Requests for personal ID documents via an SMS link.
Optus scam examples
These composed examples show how scams impersonating Optus typically read, with the tells that give each one away. Compare them against anything you've received.
Optus: Following recent security activity, all customers must re-verify their identity. Upload your driver's licence or passport at optus-id-check[.]example within 24 hours to avoid suspension of your service.
What gives it away:
- Asking you to upload a licence or passport through a link in a text is a reason to stop and check; as a general rule, don't send identity documents that way, and look in the My Optus app first
- The upload page sits on a lookalike address; a link that looks right proves nothing either, so open the My Optus app yourself instead
- A blanket 'all customers' demand with a 24-hour deadline is pressure engineering; Optus recommends the My Optus app as your trusted secure channel, so check your account there
Subject: Your Optus bill credit is waiting. Good news! A credit has been applied to your account after a billing review. Sign in at optus-rewards-portal[.]invalid within 48 hours to claim it before it expires.
What gives it away:
- A surprise credit that needs an immediate sign-in through a link is how credentials get harvested; a genuine credit can be checked by opening the My Optus app yourself
- The sign-in link points to a 'rewards portal' address; a link or sender address can look right and still be fake, so check your account in the My Optus app
- An expiring windfall is the oldest urgency lever there is; a real credit would simply sit on your account
Not sure about your message?
Paste the suspicious Optus text or email and get an instant scam verdict, free.
How to verify a message from Optus
Optus's real website is optus.com.au and the official app is the My Optus app. Reach Optus through those channels, never through the details inside a message you're unsure about.
- Don't tap the link, reply, or send any document through the message
- Open the My Optus app, or type optus.com.au into your browser yourself, and check your account and messages there
- Check the account yourself: if something genuinely needs your attention you can look for it in the app, which Optus recommends as your trusted secure channel
- If you're still unsure, use the contact options listed on optus.com.au, not a number or link from the message
If you have been scammed in Optus's name
Clicked the link, paid, or shared details? Act now. The first hour matters more than anything else you do later.
- If you uploaded a driver's licence, passport or other identity document, contact IDCARE (idcare.org) straight away for free identity support
- If you entered card or bank details, call your bank immediately, block the card and dispute any charges
- Change your My Optus password from optus.com.au, and change it anywhere else you reused it
- 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 Optus
Received — or fell for — a message impersonating Optus? 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.
Optus scam activity in 2026
Optus impersonation often aims at identity details. A common move is the 'verify your identity' text that asks you to upload a licence or passport photo through a link. Alongside it run reward-voucher and bill-credit texts that funnel you to fake login pages, and 'Optus Billing' suspension warnings. Every variant depends on you acting inside the message instead of inside your account. ACMA said in November 2024 that it was seeing a rise in SMS telco impersonation scams, naming Optus, Vodafone and Telstra among the brands copied. The habit that beats them: treat a link in a text about identity, rewards or billing as unverified, and check the My Optus app yourself.
Frequently asked questions
I got a text from Optus with a link asking me to verify my ID — is it a scam?
Treat it as a scam until you've checked. Don't upload identity documents through a link in a text. Open the My Optus app, which Optus recommends as your trusted secure channel, and see whether anything needs your attention. Then report the text to Scamwatch at scamwatch.gov.au.
How do I know if an Optus SMS is real?
Don't rely on the name at the top. Optus says its texts show 'Optus' or other registered sender IDs, as well as numeric sender IDs, and ACMA says scammers can send messages that appear in the same message chain as real ones. Don't click links in the message. Open the My Optus app, or call the number on a real bill, to check your account.
Optus scam text about a rewards voucher — what should I do?
Don't use the link. A genuine credit or reward can be checked by opening the My Optus app yourself, so look there. Forward the message to 7226 and report it at scamwatch.gov.au.
What is Optus's real website?
Optus's official website is optus.com.au, and account matters are handled there or in the My Optus app. Type the address yourself rather than following a link in a text or email. Lookalike domains that add words like 'secure', 'billing' or 'rewards' around the Optus name are a common phishing trick, so a familiar name inside an address proves nothing.
How do I report an Optus scam text?
Forward the SMS to 7226 (spells SCAM) so carriers can block the sender, and report it to Scamwatch (scamwatch.gov.au) so the National Anti-Scam Centre can track the campaign. If you lost money, also report it to ReportCyber (cyber.gov.au); if you handed over identity documents, contact IDCARE (idcare.org) as well.
Scam message examples
Related scam types
Scams impersonating Optus usually fit one of these patterns. Learn how each works:
Related brands
Other telco names scammers impersonate — check a message from one:
Sources
- Text or SMS scams (Scamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre))
- Account or identity takeover scams (Scamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre))
- IDCARE: Australia and New Zealand's identity support service (IDCARE)
- Types of scams (Optus)
- What to do if you suspect a scam (Optus)
- Watch out for scam texts pretending to be from your telco (Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA))
- Phone and SMS scams (Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA))
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice — always verify with Optus through an official channel.