Before you act, wherever you are
From the take-home sheet of the Voice session Information you can trust.
Go to the source
- Read agendas, minutes, budgets and notices before relying on a summary.
- Type the official web address yourself, or search the main government portal.
- For voting, use only your official election office.
Spot a scam
- Watch for urgency, threats and unexpected contact.
- Be wary of requests for personal or bank details, or payment by gift card or cryptocurrency.
- Don’t click links or call numbers in the message. Find the agency’s contact details yourself.
Your safe numbers
From the Reach session Portals and video appointments: Hang up and call back on a number you already have.
Write down official phone numbers you can use to check a suspicious call or message, copied from a card, a letter or an official website.
Print this page to write them down, or use the printable worksheet.
United States
- Official websites. A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States. .gov is the top-level domain for U.S. governments, and governments at all levels, including cities and counties, are eligible for one.
- Government imposter scams. Unless you contact them first, government agencies typically start contact with you by letter. Imposters may call, text, email or come to your door, and may fake caller ID to look like an official number.
- Where to report. USAGov has a tool that helps you find the right agency to report a scam. Imposter scams can be reported online to the Federal Trade Commission, and tax-related imposter scams to the Internal Revenue Service.
- Voting information. Your state or local election office helps with registering, voting and election results. USAGov lists them by state and territory.
Official places to check:
The United States handout · Free official help in the United States
United Kingdom
- Official websites. Most public sector organisations must use a .gov.uk or other government domain for their websites, emails and services. To find an official service or phone number, search on GOV.UK rather than using a look-alike site.
- Report suspicious messages. Forward suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk, where the National Cyber Security Centre will investigate, and suspicious texts to 7726, which is free.
- HMRC scams. HMRC says it could be a scam if a contact rushes you, is threatening or unexpected, asks for bank details, tells you to transfer money, or offers a refund. HMRC will never threaten arrest or ask you to pay with gift or payment vouchers. Suspicious HMRC texts can be sent to 60599 (network charges apply) or emailed to phishing@hmrc.gov.uk.
- If you lost money. If you think you’ve lost money or been hacked because of an online scam or fraud and you’re in England or Wales, contact Report Fraud online or on 0300 123 2040. In Scotland, report it to Police Scotland.
Official places to check:
The United Kingdom handout · Free official help in the United Kingdom
Canada
- Official websites. Check government programs and services on official Government of Canada websites: look for addresses that begin with canada.ca or end with .gc.ca.
- Signs of a scam. It may be a scam if someone demands immediate payment, uses threatening language, sends a link to click, asks for personal or financial information, or asks for payment by cryptocurrency or gift cards. If unsure, contact the department or agency directly.
- Calls claiming to be the CRA. Don’t trust the number on caller ID or share personal information with the caller. Ask for their name, office and callback number, end the call, and confirm the number with the CRA’s verify tool before calling back.
- Where to report. Report all scams or fraud to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, even if you were not a victim, and forward suspicious texts to 7726 (SPAM).
Official places to check:
The Canada handout · Free official help in Canada
Australia
- myGov scams. myGov will only ask you to sign in through the official app or by typing my.gov.au into your browser, and will never ask you to reply with your personal information or sign-in details. Scams may send a link or attachment, ask for codes or bank details, ask for money, or push you to act urgently.
- Report a myGov scam. Email suspected myGov scams to reportascam@servicesaustralia.gov.au. myGov also points to the Scamwatch website for how to spot and avoid scams.
- Election information. The Australian Electoral Commission’s Stop and Consider guidance says to check the content and the source of what you see about the electoral process, and if you’re unsure, to ignore it and not share or repost it. Warning signs include urgency, no clear source, old content and claims about where or when to vote without a link or authorisation.
Official places to check:
The Australia handout · Free official help in Australia
New Zealand
- What scams look like. Scams are tricks to steal your money or personal information, and often start with unexpected contact by phone, text, email, social media or in person. Scam texts often pretend to be from real organisations, sound urgent and try to get you to click a link or share personal or banking details.
- Quick checks. Own Your Online, from the National Cyber Security Centre, has a scam check tool. Warning signs include a sender you don’t recognise, being asked to act urgently, such as making a payment or confirming account details, and a link to click.
- Report it. Scams can be reported to the National Cyber Security Centre, online or by phone. When you report, you get advice for your situation, and if another agency is better placed to help, the NCSC can refer you, with your consent.
- Other places to report. If you lost money in a scam, contact NZ Police on 105. Report investment scams to the Financial Markets Authority, and spam texts or emails to the Department of Internal Affairs.
Official places to check:
The New Zealand handout · Free official help in New Zealand
India
- PIB Fact Check. The Press Information Bureau’s Fact Check unit checks suspicious news and information related to the Government of India. You can send it something to check on WhatsApp at +91 8799711259 or by email to socialmedia@pib.gov.in, and follow its fact-checks on its Telegram channel.
- Report suspected fraud calls and messages. Chakshu, on the Department of Telecommunications’ Sanchar Saathi portal, lets you report suspected fraud calls, SMS or WhatsApp messages, such as someone pretending to be from DoT or TRAI, the police or a government office, or asking for KYC or payment details.
- If you lost money. Chakshu is not for reporting money already lost or a cyber-crime. If you have lost money to financial fraud or been a victim of cyber-crime, report it on the cyber-crime helpline 1930 or at cybercrime.gov.in.
- Spam calls and texts. You can also report unwanted commercial calls or SMS through Chakshu. Complaints made within 7 days of receiving the spam are treated as valid complaints and investigated by the telecom service providers.
Official places to check:
The India handout · Free official help in India
Philippines
- Fake requests for your details. Under the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act, it is a crime to pretend to act for a bank or other financial institution, or to use calls, texts, social media messages or email, to trick someone into giving the passwords, account details or other information that gives access to their financial account.
- Never lend your account. Letting someone use, borrow, buy or rent your bank or e-wallet account to move money from crimes or scams is an offense under the same law, and so is buying or selling a financial account.
- Disputed transactions. Banks, e-wallets and other institutions supervised by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas can temporarily hold funds in a disputed transaction, for example one that appears to involve a social engineering scheme, for up to 30 calendar days unless a court extends it.
- SIM registration and spoofing. Under the SIM Registration Act, every SIM must be registered before it is activated. Spoofing, sending misleading information about the source of a call or text in order to defraud or cause harm, is a punishable offense.
Official places to check:
The Philippines handout · Free official help in the Philippines
Countries not covered yet
The habits above apply anywhere. This kit has no country block for these countries where Moraph has an office.
Our changes log says: Mexico, Argentina and Armenia will follow with translated kits.
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