What are the red flags of this scam?

An unexpected text or email claims you have not completed the Census and pushes you to click a link — genuine ABS reminder texts come from the sender ID 'ABSGov' or 'CENSUS', and unregistered senders are labelled 'Unverified' • The link does not go to census.abs.gov.au — always check the URL before entering anything • A caller or visitor claiming to be from the ABS asks for your bank account details, credit card number, Tax File Number, or passwords — the ABS never collects these for the Census • A doorstep visitor claiming to be a census field officer asks for cash or demands a 'filing fee' — genuine field officers never charge anything • A person knocking claims to represent Home Affairs or the ABS and requests biometric information (fingerprints, photos) — the Census does not collect biometrics this way • The visitor has no ABS photo ID card or is not carrying a high-visibility yellow satchel — real field officers always carry both • An official-looking email comes from an address that is not @abs.gov.au — check for lookalikes such as @abs-census.gov.au or @abs-gov.com.au

What should I do if this happened to me?

Do not click links in unexpected texts or emails about the Census — go directly to abs.gov.au or census.abs.gov.au to check your participation status • Do not share bank details, credit card numbers, Tax File Numbers, passwords, or identity documents with anyone claiming to be running the Census • If a doorstep visitor claims to be an ABS field officer, ask for their ABS photo ID card — it should include their name and a 10-digit identification number, and they should carry a yellow high-visibility satchel • The ABS Support Line is 1300 100 557 — call it to verify any contact you are unsure about • If you have shared financial details, call your bank immediately — your bank can act quickly to protect your account • Report to Scamwatch at https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/report-a-scam or ReportCyber at https://www.cyber.gov.au/report.

HIGH government impersonation Last reported: 18 Oct 2026 Share

A text or caller says you haven't completed the Census — the link or request steals your details

Q: Is this a scam?

Yes. This is a documented scam pattern. Scammers impersonate the Australian Bureau of Statistics by text, email, or doorknock during and after the 2026 Census. They claim you haven't completed it and ask for bank details, TFN, passwords, or a "filing fee." The ABS never asks for any of these things.

Scammers impersonate the Australian Bureau of Statistics by text, email, or doorknock during and after the 2026 Census. They claim you haven't completed it and ask for bank details, TFN, passwords, or a "filing fee." The ABS never asks for any of these things.

Also known as: ABS census scam Australia, fake census text ABS, census impersonation 2026 Australia, fake census doorknock Australia, ABS census phishing email

Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes

1 Call your bank or card's fraud line right now. Use the number on the back of your card — not any number from the message or caller. Ask them to stop or reverse the payment and freeze the account.
2 If you paid by gift card, wire, or an app (Zelle, Venmo, Cash App): contact that company immediately and report it as fraud. Acting fast sometimes recovers the money.
3 Report to the FBI at ic3.gov and the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. The sooner, the better.

What to do right now

1 Do not click links in unexpected texts or emails about the Census — go directly to abs.gov.au or census.abs.gov.au to check your participation status
2 Do not share bank details, credit card numbers, Tax File Numbers, passwords, or identity documents with anyone claiming to be running the Census
3 If a doorstep visitor claims to be an ABS field officer, ask for their ABS photo ID card — it should include their name and a 10-digit identification number, and they should carry a yellow high-visibility satchel
4 The ABS Support Line is 1300 100 557 — call it to verify any contact you are unsure about
5 If you have shared financial details, call your bank immediately — your bank can act quickly to protect your account
6 Report to Scamwatch at https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/report-a-scam or ReportCyber at https://www.cyber.gov.au/report.

Red flags

⚠ An unexpected text or email claims you have not completed the Census and pushes you to click a link — genuine ABS reminder texts come from the sender ID 'ABSGov' or 'CENSUS', and unregistered senders are labelled 'Unverified'
⚠ The link does not go to census.abs.gov.au — always check the URL before entering anything
⚠ A caller or visitor claiming to be from the ABS asks for your bank account details, credit card number, Tax File Number, or passwords — the ABS never collects these for the Census
⚠ A doorstep visitor claiming to be a census field officer asks for cash or demands a 'filing fee' — genuine field officers never charge anything
⚠ A person knocking claims to represent Home Affairs or the ABS and requests biometric information (fingerprints, photos) — the Census does not collect biometrics this way
⚠ The visitor has no ABS photo ID card or is not carrying a high-visibility yellow satchel — real field officers always carry both
⚠ An official-looking email comes from an address that is not @abs.gov.au — check for lookalikes such as @abs-census.gov.au or @abs-gov.com.au

Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes

What to do right now

Red flags

Sources