Have you received a text claiming to be from the Australian Government offering a free COVID-19 test kit? Watch out, it’s probably a scam.
A sophisticated SMS scam with fake links to free COVID-19 test kits has emerged in recent days. If you receive one of these messages, do not open the link.
The messages impersonate the Australian Government, Medicare and myGov. They are designed to access your personal details by encouraging you to click on links to receive free COVID-19 tests.
These links lead to official-looking but fake government websites that try to steal your personal and financial details.
Services Australia advises you to call the Scams and Identity Theft Help Desk immediately on 1800 941 126 if you:
- opened a link in a suspicious text
- have given someone you don’t know your myGov or other personal details
- replied to a suspicious text.
More information about this scam is available on the Services Australia website.
How do I tell if something is a scam?
Genuine text messages from government services will usually be for things like:
- appointment reminders
- confirming you’ve been paid
- confirming changes to your details
- letting you know you’ve got a new myGov Inbox message.
Text messages from these services will not, however, include any links. If the message has a link, it’s likely a scam.
If in doubt, contact the government body via their publicly available information rather than any details in a message.
Further information
Scammers target everyone. Learn more about how to protect yourself from phone scams on the ACMA website or make a report to Scamwatch.