Is your privacy at risk? Aussie’s unsettling phone call raises alarm over scams
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Unexpected interactions with government agencies can leave many Australians feeling uncertain and exposed, particularly when trust and personal security are on the line.
What started as a seemingly routine phone call soon spiralled into a situation that has sparked widespread concern and debate.
What unfolded highlights growing challenges in navigating communication with trusted institutions.
An Australian resident has sparked debate after receiving an unexpected phone call from someone claiming to represent Services Australia.
With scammers becoming increasingly sophisticated, Australians lost over $292 million to scams last year, making it harder to discern legitimate communication from fraud.
Services Australia general manager Hank Jongen explaine that scammers have been impersonating well-known organisations, including myGov, Services Australia, Centrelink, Medicare, and Child Support.
‘If you’re unsure if a phone call is from Services Australia, hang up and call us back on a phone number from our website,’ Jongen said.
One Melbourne resident shared their experience of receiving a phone call from a private number just before Christmas.
The call left them unsettled as they could not determine whether it was legitimate or a scam.
The caller claimed to be from Services Australia and requested answers to identity-verification questions before continuing the conversation.
‘Told her I wasn’t prepared to provide any private info over the phone and she said, in a huff, “OK, we’ll send you a letter” and hung up,’ they posted online.
Two days later, they received a text message that appeared to be from Services Australia, informing them of a ‘new PAY task’ in their message inbox.
The message included a link to a fake website where ‘servicesaustralia’ was misspelled, and the URL ended in ‘.online’ instead of the official ‘.gov.au’.
Although the text may not have been linked to the call, the individual expressed frustration over the difficulty of distinguishing genuine calls from fake ones.
‘That fact, given the heightened vulnerability and needs of people looking to make contact with this arm of government, is a disgrace,’ they wrote.
Jongen confirmed the text message was a scam but said Services Australia could not verify whether the phone call was authentic without access to the person’s customer record.
‘We can confirm that the text message this customer received in the days after the phone call is a scam,’ he shared.
‘We won’t send a link in a text message or email.’
Jongen noted that Services Australia calls often come from private numbers.
If a caller ID claims to be from myGov, Services Australia, Centrelink, Medicare, or Child Support, it is not genuine.
The agency does ask identity-verification questions, including verbal passwords, during calls to ensure they are speaking with the correct individual.
If there are changes to Centrelink payments or concession cards, a letter will be sent.
Australians shared mixed opinions about these calls, with some suspecting they were scams and others finding them to be legitimate.
One person described a similar experience where they declined to proceed with a call but later discovered it was a genuine follow-up regarding an attempt to update their address.
Another recalled receiving a call they were sceptical of, but the representative provided unique information only the government agency would know.
‘Turns out Centrelink owed me some money, small change, but still a small win,’ they said.
Customers can request that Services Australia send a text notification before calling, but this option must be enabled in their account settings.
Jongen advised people to visit the Services Australia website for information on verifying phone calls or text messages.
Services Australia will never:
If in doubt, hang up and call Services Australia using the official numbers listed on its website.
With so many Aussies left questioning the authenticity of government calls, it's clear the lines between real and fake have become dangerously blurred.
What’s your take—have you ever received a suspicious call or message from Services Australia?
Share your experience in the comments below.
What started as a seemingly routine phone call soon spiralled into a situation that has sparked widespread concern and debate.
What unfolded highlights growing challenges in navigating communication with trusted institutions.
An Australian resident has sparked debate after receiving an unexpected phone call from someone claiming to represent Services Australia.
With scammers becoming increasingly sophisticated, Australians lost over $292 million to scams last year, making it harder to discern legitimate communication from fraud.
Services Australia general manager Hank Jongen explaine that scammers have been impersonating well-known organisations, including myGov, Services Australia, Centrelink, Medicare, and Child Support.
‘If you’re unsure if a phone call is from Services Australia, hang up and call us back on a phone number from our website,’ Jongen said.
One Melbourne resident shared their experience of receiving a phone call from a private number just before Christmas.
The call left them unsettled as they could not determine whether it was legitimate or a scam.
The caller claimed to be from Services Australia and requested answers to identity-verification questions before continuing the conversation.
‘Told her I wasn’t prepared to provide any private info over the phone and she said, in a huff, “OK, we’ll send you a letter” and hung up,’ they posted online.
Two days later, they received a text message that appeared to be from Services Australia, informing them of a ‘new PAY task’ in their message inbox.
The message included a link to a fake website where ‘servicesaustralia’ was misspelled, and the URL ended in ‘.online’ instead of the official ‘.gov.au’.
Although the text may not have been linked to the call, the individual expressed frustration over the difficulty of distinguishing genuine calls from fake ones.
‘That fact, given the heightened vulnerability and needs of people looking to make contact with this arm of government, is a disgrace,’ they wrote.
Jongen confirmed the text message was a scam but said Services Australia could not verify whether the phone call was authentic without access to the person’s customer record.
‘We can confirm that the text message this customer received in the days after the phone call is a scam,’ he shared.
‘We won’t send a link in a text message or email.’
Jongen noted that Services Australia calls often come from private numbers.
If a caller ID claims to be from myGov, Services Australia, Centrelink, Medicare, or Child Support, it is not genuine.
The agency does ask identity-verification questions, including verbal passwords, during calls to ensure they are speaking with the correct individual.
If there are changes to Centrelink payments or concession cards, a letter will be sent.
Australians shared mixed opinions about these calls, with some suspecting they were scams and others finding them to be legitimate.
One person described a similar experience where they declined to proceed with a call but later discovered it was a genuine follow-up regarding an attempt to update their address.
Another recalled receiving a call they were sceptical of, but the representative provided unique information only the government agency would know.
‘Turns out Centrelink owed me some money, small change, but still a small win,’ they said.
Customers can request that Services Australia send a text notification before calling, but this option must be enabled in their account settings.
Jongen advised people to visit the Services Australia website for information on verifying phone calls or text messages.
Services Australia will never:
- Ask for your myGov sign-in details, including your password, PIN, or secret questions and answers, during a call.
- Play a pre-recorded voice message asking you to press 1 to speak to staff.
- Call from a visible mobile phone number.
- Leave a voicemail message if your outgoing message does not identify you.
- Ask for payment for assistance, services, or payments.
- Demand immediate payment for money owed.
- Threaten fines, warrants, or jail.
If in doubt, hang up and call Services Australia using the official numbers listed on its website.
With so many Aussies left questioning the authenticity of government calls, it's clear the lines between real and fake have become dangerously blurred.
What’s your take—have you ever received a suspicious call or message from Services Australia?
Share your experience in the comments below.
