Hoaxes and scams – coronavirus (COVID-19)
During our response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Queensland Government may contact you by text message (SMS), email or phone via:
- Queensland Health
- a public health unit
- another government agency.
Scammers are pretending to be government agencies providing information on COVID-19 through text messages and emails ‘phishing’ for your information. These contain malicious links and attachments designed to steal your personal and financial information.
If you receive a message that may be fake:
- delete the message
- do not click on any links
- do not provide personal or financial information.
If you have already clicked the link, or given personal or financial information to the sender, contact your financial institution immediately for advice.
It is always safest to delete suspicious messages that may be a hoax.
How to identify a scam
Phishing scams can be by:
- social media
- phone calls
- text messages.
Cyber criminals often try to gain your trust by impersonating a legitimate organisation.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s Scamwatch website provides more details on what to look out for and how to report a scam.
When we will contact you
Queensland Health, its Health Contact Centre (13 HEALTH), Smart Services Queensland or a public health unit may contact you via email, SMS or by phone call during the pandemic:
- to confirm or change a vaccination appointment
- to advise a COVID-19 test result taken at a Queensland Health facility
A legitimate email, SMS or phone call from the Queensland Government will never ask you to provide personal details such as your passwords, financial information, payment or access to your computer.
In most cases, links included in emails or SMSs from the Queensland Government will include the qld.gov.au domain in the link address.
Follow-up surveys are sent after a vaccination and will come from AusVaxSafety, SmartVax or Queensland Health.
The Queensland Government may also use the Emergency Alert system to contact you about COVID-19. This number is 0444 444 444. Please do not block the number. If you do, you will no longer receive alerts to your phone in life-threatening emergency situations such as bushfires and cyclones.