How to verify or report a scam

What to do if you receive a communication that you’re not sure is genuine.

Published 9 April 2025

Warning signs of a scam

Understanding the warning signs of a scam can help protect you and your information.

As we transition from myGovID to myID, you do not need to set up a new myID or reconfirm your details. If you've been prompted to go to a website to do this, it’s a scam.

You can find the latest scam alertsOpens in a new window for myID on the ATO website.

Verify a scam

Scammers often impersonate trusted services, such as myID, to trick you into giving out your personal information or login details.

If you use myID to access government online services, we will sometimes contact you about your myID.

If you’re not sure a communication is genuine, do not reply.

Email and SMS scams

Scammers may send emails or text messages advising of suspicious activity on your myID or ask you to provide personal information through a return email or text message.

We do not currently send any SMS messages from myID.

We’ll never email you asking you to:

click a hyperlink or scan a QR code to log in to myID
provide your personal details via a link or return message
open an attachment or download a file.

When you receive an email about your myID, double check the sender’s email address.

Do not reply, click any links, open attachments, or download any files from suspicious emails or SMS messages.

Fake websites and apps

Scammers can make fake websites or apps that look just like myID.

Only download the myID app from the official app stores (Google Play or the App Store).

When logging in to an online service with myID, and you’re asked to provide your myID email, check that the URL displayed in your browser includes either:

Report a scam

If you’ve engaged with a scam, paid money or provided your personal information to a scammer, contact our support line immediately to report it.

You should also:

increase your myID identity strength to the highest level possible (Strong myID)
turn on notifications in your myID app to receive login notifications and when your myID is set up on another device
update your myID email address
change your myID password on each device you’ve set up
- select More in your myID app
- select Change password
- follow the prompts to update your password
- use a strong password or passphrase
verify a new or re-issued ID document in your myID
- select My identity to check or update your myID email address
- select More in your myID app
- select Reset app
- set up myID again using the new document
make an official report to your local police.

If you did not pay money, provide sensitive information, or engage with a myID scam, you can report it by either:

forwarding the entire email to ReportScams@ato.gov.au
taking a screenshot of the SMS message and emailing it to ReportScams@ato.gov.au
phoning our support line on 1300 287 539 (select option 2, then option 2).

After reporting it to us, delete the email (from your inbox, sent, and deleted items) or SMS message.