TL;DR: Australia Post says it will never ask for your password, card details or personal information by email or SMS, or call out of the blue for payment. Forward scams to scams@auspost.com.au and report them to Scamwatch or ReportCyber.

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Text messages that claim to be from Australia Post, saying a parcel is waiting or a fee is due, are one of the most common scam formats in Australia. Australia Post publishes its own list of what it will and will not do, and it registers its SMS sender names, which gives you two solid tests.

What Australia Post says it will never do

Australia Post commits that it will never:

If a text breaks any of these, it is not consistent with Australia Post's stated practice, however professional the message looks.

The SMS Sender ID check

Australia Post says it has registered SMS Sender IDs, including AusPost and StarTrack, on the ACMA SMS Sender ID Register. Messages showing as "Unverified" or arriving from an unfamiliar phone number deserve caution. The register does not stop every scam, but a text that claims to be Australia Post from an ordinary mobile number is a strong warning sign.

What the scams usually promise

Australia Post notes that popular SMS fraud refers to "tracking a parcel" or "collecting your prize." The fake page typically asks for a small fee to release the item, then collects card details and sometimes a verification code sent by your bank. Parcel scams often come in waves that follow real shopping seasons.

How to report it

Australia Post asks you to report suspicious emails, calls or messages to scams@auspost.com.au, and says this mailbox is for reporting only and you will not get a personal reply. For an email, forward the whole message rather than a screenshot. It also points to Scamwatch, run by the ACCC, and ReportCyber for cybercrime reports.

If you have already shared details

Ring your bank straight away using the number on your card. If you gave personal identification details, Australia Post directs people to iDCare, a free identity support service that it describes as a partner, on 1800 595 160. You can also ask the credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Illion and Experian) about a ban on your credit file if you think your identity has been misused.

The same scripts run under the parcel arm of the group. Read the StarTrack delivery text scam guide, and see how overseas couriers word their rules in the DHL delivery text scam guide.

Why the Sender ID register helps

Australia Post's mention of the ACMA SMS Sender ID Register shows where the industry is heading: registered names are meant to be harder to fake. That does not remove the risk, because scammers also send from ordinary numbers and change tactics. The register is one more check, not a guarantee, so keep applying the rule that a genuine message never asks for card details.

Protect your credit file

If you think your identity was misused, you can contact the credit reporting agencies Australia Post names (Equifax, Illion and Experian) about a ban on your credit file, and get free support from iDCare.

If your number or email was captured on a fake page, you may see more scams. A free digital footprint check shows what is already exposed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where do I report an Australia Post scam?

Email scams@auspost.com.au, a reporting-only mailbox with no personal reply. You can also report to Scamwatch and ReportCyber.

Does Australia Post ask for payment by SMS?

Australia Post says it will never send an email or SMS asking for credit card details or personal information, and will never call out of the blue to request payment.

What are Australia Post's registered SMS Sender IDs?

Australia Post says it has registered AusPost and StarTrack on the ACMA SMS Sender ID Register. Treat unverified or unfamiliar numbers with caution.

Who can help if my identity was misused?

Australia Post directs victims to iDCare, a free service it describes as a partner, on 1800 595 160.

Should I send a screenshot or forward the email?

For suspicious emails, Australia Post asks you to forward the full message rather than send a screenshot.

Sources

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