Fake Centrelink Cost-of-Living Stimulus Payment Scam
Scammers impersonate Centrelink to inform Australians they are eligible for a cost-of-living or energy supplement payment that must be claimed through a link before a deadline. Legitimate Centrelink supplement payments are deposited automatically to payment recipients or require application through myGov — never through an unsolicited text link.
Part of: Fake Stimulus Payment Scams
Last reviewed: 8 June 2026
The Australian government has periodically issued supplement and one-time payments through Centrelink — including energy bill relief, cost-of-living supplements, and COVID-related payments. Scammers track these announcements closely and begin their impersonation campaigns in the days after media reports of new payments, when recipients are actively monitoring for payment dates.
A text or email branded as Centrelink claims the recipient is eligible for a new payment — often referencing a real programme name or a plausible-sounding new one — and that the payment must be claimed through a provided portal before it expires.
Centrelink supplement payments are either paid automatically to existing payment recipients or require a formal application through myGov. Services Australia does not send unsolicited texts or emails directing recipients to external payment-claim links with imminent deadlines.
How this scam works on the Centrelink brand
The text reads: 'Centrelink: You are eligible for a $250 Energy Bill Relief Supplement. Claim before [date]: [link].' The link opens a fake myGov or Centrelink portal asking for CRN, date of birth, TFN, and banking details.
Some campaigns are timed to coincide with genuine budget announcements and reference actual payment names to seem credible. Others create fictional payment names that sound like real Centrelink products — 'Cost of Living Assistance Payment', 'Energy Support Supplement' — exploiting recipients' uncertainty about which payments are real.
After submitting details, the victim sees a plausible confirmation screen. The fraudster uses the CRN and TFN to access the victim's real Centrelink account and change direct-debit details, redirecting genuine future payments.
Common red flags
- Unsolicited text about a Centrelink payment requiring a claim via a link with an urgent deadline
- Link does not go to my.gov.au or servicesaustralia.gov.au
- Payment name cannot be verified on the official Services Australia website
- Request for CRN and TFN together on an external form
- Urgency: payment forfeited within 24 to 48 hours
- Email sender is not @servicesaustralia.gov.au
- Confirmation screen after submission provides a fake reference number
How to protect yourself
- Log in to myGov at my.gov.au to check your genuine Centrelink account for any pending payments
- Verify any announced payment on the official Services Australia website at servicesaustralia.gov.au
- Never submit CRN and TFN together in response to an unsolicited link
- Contact Services Australia at 132 300 to ask about any real pending payments
- Report to Scamwatch at scamwatch.gov.au
- Forward smishing texts to 7226
- If banking or TFN details were given, contact your bank and the ATO immediately
How to report it
- Report to Scamwatch at scamwatch.gov.au
- Forward smishing texts to 7226
- Report to the ACSC at cyber.gov.au/report
- Contact Services Australia at 132 300 if your account may be compromised
- Contact the ATO at 13 28 61 if your TFN was submitted
Frequently asked questions
How does Services Australia deliver genuine one-time supplement payments?
Automatic supplement payments are deposited to the bank account registered with Centrelink on your payment record without any action required. If a new payment requires an application, it is available through myGov at my.gov.au after logging in — no unsolicited link is involved.
How do I verify if a Centrelink payment announcement is real?
Check the official Services Australia website at servicesaustralia.gov.au and the Australian Government's budget or payments page. Real payments are announced on these official sites, not solely through text messages.
What is the risk of giving my TFN on a phishing site?
Your Tax File Number is your primary tax identifier. With your TFN and date of birth, a fraudster can file a fraudulent tax return through the ATO's myTax system and redirect your refund. Treat your TFN like a password and never share it through an unsolicited link.