myGov impersonation scams
myGov scams are fake texts and emails that look like they're from myGov or Services Australia — claiming your account is suspended, a payment is blocked, or you need to 'verify' your details — to lure you to a fake myGov sign-in page and steal your account. A hijacked myGov account can expose your tax, Centrelink and Medicare records.
This guide explains how the scam works, the warning signs to watch for, and what to do if you've been caught out. Got a specific message in front of you? Check it now and get an instant verdict.
How this scam works
A scammer sends a message that appears to be from myGov, usually warning that your access is suspended, a Centrelink payment is on hold, or your details need confirming — with a link to 'restore' or 'verify' your account. The link goes to a lookalike sign-in page on a domain such as 'my-gov[.]au' or 'mygov-au[.]com' (note the hyphen or extra words — the only genuine address is my.gov.au). Once you enter your username, password and any verification code, the scammer takes over your real myGov account and the services linked to it. Example — a scam text might read: "myGov: Your access has been suspended. Restore your account now: [link]". Genuine myGov only texts you to say you have a new myGov Inbox message — it doesn't send a link to log in.
What the scam looks like
These composed examples show how the scam typically reads, with the tells that give each one away. Compare them against anything you've received.
myGov: Your account has been suspended due to incomplete information. Restore access within 24 hours at mygov-restore[.]example or your linked services will be removed.
What gives it away:
- Genuine myGov texts only tell you a new Inbox message is waiting; they never contain a link to sign in
- The only genuine address is my.gov.au; hyphens or extra words mark a lookalike
- The 24-hour deadline and threat to remove services are manufactured pressure
Subject: Your Centrelink payment could not be processed. We were unable to deposit your latest payment. Confirm your details at servicesau-payments[.]invalid within 48 hours to release the funds.
What gives it away:
- A blocked-payment lure aimed at people who rely on the money landing on time
- Government agencies won't send you a link to log in or 'confirm your details'; check by opening the myGov app or typing my.gov.au yourself
- The domain is a lookalike, not a gov.au government address
A search for 'myGov login' surfaces a sponsored result titled 'myGov Account Portal, Sign In' leading to mygov-signin[.]example, a close copy of the real sign-in page that asks for your username, password and verification code.
What gives it away:
- A paid or sponsored search placement proves nothing about legitimacy
- The address is not exactly my.gov.au; read it character by character before typing anything
- Asking for the verification code as well as the password is how the scammer walks straight into the real account; bookmark my.gov.au or use the official myGov app instead
Who gets targeted, and when
Anyone with a myGov account, which means most Australian adults. The texts are blasted indiscriminately, but people who rely on Centrelink or Medicare payments feel the 'payment on hold' lure hardest, and taxpayers waiting on a refund are prime marks at tax time. Because one myGov login opens tax, Centrelink and Medicare records together, the account is a high-value target whoever holds it.
myGov lures surge through tax time, from June to October, when a message about your return or a blocked payment lands at a believable moment. Bursts also follow announcements of new government payments or rebates, and Centrelink reporting deadlines, when a 'suspended account' warning feels most plausible.
How to spot it
- A link in a text or email asking you to log in or 'verify' your myGov details — a genuine myGov text only tells you that you have a new Inbox message, and won't link you to a sign-in page
- A web address that isn't exactly my.gov.au — lookalikes add hyphens or extra words (my-gov[.]au, mygov-au[.]com, login-mygov[.]com)
- Urgent wording about suspended access, blocked payments or lost records, designed to rush you
- A request for your myGov password, a verification code, or your bank details
- A sender name or number you can't trust — scammers can spoof 'myGov' and phone numbers, so judge the message, not the sender
What to do if you have been targeted
- Don't tap the link or enter anything — close the message
- Check your account by opening the official myGov app or typing my.gov.au into your browser yourself
- If you entered your details, change your myGov password immediately at my.gov.au and review your sign-in security settings
- Contact IDCARE for free identity support — myGov credentials can be used for serious identity theft, so act quickly
- Report it to Scamwatch and to Services Australia through its 'report a scam' page on servicesaustralia.gov.au; you can also forward the scam text to 7226, a telco scam-reporting service, to help your provider block it
Where to report it
- 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.
How to protect yourself
- Reach myGov only through the official myGov app or by typing my.gov.au yourself, never through a link in a message
- Treat any myGov text containing a link as a scam; genuine texts only announce a new Inbox message
- Read the address bar character by character before signing in; the only genuine address is my.gov.au
- Review and strengthen the sign-in security options in your myGov account settings
- Forward scam myGov texts to 7226 (spells SCAM), then delete them
myGov impersonation scams in 2026
Fake myGov messages remain a constant in Australian scam reporting, with the current mix rotating between suspended-account warnings, blocked Centrelink payments and refund bait that borrows tax-time urgency. The lookalike sign-in pages have become close copies of the real thing, and many now harvest the verification code as well as the password so the scammer can walk straight into the account. Sponsored search results and QR codes are appearing alongside the familiar texts as ways in. The giveaway has not changed: any message that links you to a myGov sign-in is fake, because the genuine service only texts to say a new Inbox message is waiting.
Related brands targeted by this scam
Scammers often impersonate these names in mygov impersonation scams. Here's how to tell a genuine message from a fake:
Check a suspicious message now
Paste the text or email you're unsure about and get an instant verdict — mygov impersonation scams included, free.
Frequently asked questions
Does myGov send text messages with links?
No. Genuine myGov only texts you to let you know there's a new message in your myGov Inbox — it doesn't send a text with a link to log in. If a myGov text or email contains a link to click, treat it as a scam and go to my.gov.au yourself.
How do I tell a real myGov website from a fake one?
The only genuine address is my.gov.au. Fakes use lookalikes with hyphens or extra words, like my-gov[.]au or mygov-au[.]com. Don't trust a link in a message — type my.gov.au yourself or use the official myGov app.
I entered my myGov details on a page from a text — what now?
Change your myGov password straight away by going directly to my.gov.au, and review your security settings. Then contact IDCARE for free identity support and report the scam, because myGov credentials can unlock your tax, Centrelink and Medicare records.
Where do I report a fake myGov message?
Report it to Scamwatch (scamwatch.gov.au) and to Services Australia via its 'report a scam' page on servicesaustralia.gov.au. You can also forward the scam text to 7226 — a telco service that helps your provider block scam SMS, where your carrier supports it. If you've lost money or your identity may be compromised, contact your bank and IDCARE as well.
What can a scammer do with a stolen myGov account?
A hijacked myGov account can expose the tax, Centrelink and Medicare records linked to it, which is enough personal information for serious identity theft. That's why speed matters: change your myGov password at my.gov.au immediately, review your sign-in security settings, and contact IDCARE for free help working out what else needs securing.
Related scam types
Other scams hitting Australians right now — know the warning signs:
Sources
- Phishing scams (Scamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre))
- 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 — if you've lost money, contact your bank and the reporting channels above straight away.