Treat it as a scam until proven otherwise. Australia is in the middle of a wave of fake toll and fine messages impersonating Linkt and government agencies — tens of thousands of texts, and they can even appear inside a genuine message thread on your phone. The rule that beats all of them: never tap the link. Check the fine yourself on the official portal instead.
Real camera fines are still delivered primarily by post to the registered owner. Some agencies do send genuine SMS/email reminders — but a legitimate agency will never mind you ignoring the message and checking through the front door.
Paper notice that looks off? Fake letters exist too (Revenue NSW branding has been copied in letter scams). Same rule: don’t use the payment details on a suspicious letter — look the fine up by notice number on the official portal, or call the issuing council or agency on the number from its own website.
If you did tap a link and entered card details, contact your bank immediately, then report it via Scamwatch. You can also report scam texts by forwarding them to 7226 (SCAM).
Confirming the fine is genuine doesn’t mean the fine is right. Before you pay:
If something looks off, we’ll give you a free, honest read on how strong your grounds actually are — before you pay us anything. And if your grounds are weak, we’ll tell you that too.
Treat it as a scam until proven otherwise. Australia is in the middle of a large fake-toll and fake-fine SMS campaign impersonating Linkt and government agencies. Never tap the link. Open the official website or app yourself in a fresh tab and check there — a real fine or toll will show up in the official portal; a scam won’t.
Go directly to the official portal for your state (for example myPenalty for NSW or Fines Victoria) and search using your notice number or details, or call the agency on its published number. For tolls, open the Linkt app or linkt.com.au directly and search by your licence plate. Don’t use any link, phone number or QR code from the message itself.
Urgent 24–72 hour deadlines, threats of court or licence suspension, payment links in a text, web addresses that aren’t .gov.au or the operator’s real domain, requests to install an app, and messages with no notice number, vehicle, date or location. Real notices are specific; scams are vague and pushy.
Not necessarily. Once you’ve confirmed it’s genuine, you’re entitled to view the camera photo free of charge and to ask for a free internal review if something looks wrong. Requesting a review doesn’t increase the fine.
It’s usually a real letter, but it’s not a government fine. Notices from private operators like Wilson, Secure Parking or Care Park are claims under the car park’s terms of use — a different legal animal from a council or police fine, with different rules and no demerit points. Don’t confuse the two: check who issued it. Fight My Fine handles official council and government fines.
Fight My Fine is a self-help tool, not a law firm, and this page is general information, not legal advice. Scam patterns and portal links are current as at July 2026 but change quickly — when in doubt, contact the agency directly using contact details from its official website. You are the author and sender of every letter. The issuing authority makes the final decision on any review. For serious matters or court, speak with a qualified lawyer or a free service such as your state’s Legal Aid or community legal centre.