Your phone buzzes: “Your parcel couldn’t be delivered. Pay $2.95 to arrange another attempt.” It looks urgent. Is it real? You don’t need to become a cybersecurity expert to slow down, check the claim and protect yourself.
Today’s useful skill: use ChatGPT to organise your questions about a suspicious text or email, then verify the facts independently. ChatGPT can help you think, but it cannot authenticate a message.
The three-minute pause-and-check routine
- Pause. Don’t tap the link, reply, open an attachment or call the number in the message. Urgency is a reason to slow down, not speed up.
- Look for the claim. Is it about a delivery, unpaid toll, bank security, a government payment or an account problem? Note the type of claim without copying private details.
- Check another way. Open the organisation’s app yourself or type its known website address. For a delivery, look up your order or tracking details in the retailer’s or courier’s official system.
- Ask for help if needed. If you are unsure, contact the organisation using a number from a trusted bill, bank card or independently located official website.
- Delete or report. If the message is suspicious, use your phone’s reporting options or report it to Scamwatch. Keep evidence if money or account access is involved.
A practical example: the parcel text
Imagine Pat receives a text saying a parcel is waiting and a small redelivery fee must be paid today. Pat is expecting a parcel, so the message feels believable. Instead of following the text’s link, Pat opens the shopping order confirmation and checks tracking through the retailer’s official site. The message’s claim does not match the tracking information. Pat ignores the link and reports the suspicious text.
This is a fictional example. A matching delivery date or familiar company logo would not, on its own, prove that a message is genuine.
Copy this ChatGPT prompt
Copy the text below into ChatGPT. Replace the example with a general description of the message. Do not paste real links, names, phone numbers, verification codes or account details.
Act as a calm digital-safety coach for an Australian beginner. I will describe a suspicious message using only general wording, with all personal details, links and phone numbers removed. Ask me one question at a time to help identify warning signs. Do not tell me a message is definitely genuine or definitely a scam. Do not ask me to click links, call numbers in the message, send money, share passwords, provide codes or upload private screenshots. Give me a short checklist for independently checking the claim through an official app, an independently found website or a phone number I already trust. If I have already clicked or paid, suggest immediate practical steps and explain when to contact my bank or Scamwatch. Use plain Australian English and finish with a simple two-sentence action plan.
What ChatGPT can and cannot do
- Helpful: explain common warning signs, make a checklist and help you practise what to say when calling a trusted support line.
- Not proof: it cannot confirm who sent a text just from its wording, and it may make mistakes.
- Privacy first: don’t upload screenshots containing names, addresses, banking information, codes or private messages. Describe the situation in your own words instead.
What if you’ve already clicked?
If you entered bank or card details, contact your bank immediately using its official app or a trusted number. If you shared a password, change it through the official service and enable multi-factor authentication where available. If you installed an unfamiliar app or gave someone remote access, seek trusted technical help promptly. You can report scams and find Australian guidance through Scamwatch. For identity information exposed in a scam, IDCARE offers support.
Try one small habit today
Save a trusted shortcut to your bank’s official app and the parcel service you actually use. The next time a message tries to rush you, you’ll already know where to check.
Want more beginner-friendly ideas? Explore our Free AI Resources for simple prompts you can copy and adapt.
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