02 8503 9897 - 0285039897: Mixed Reports - Legitimate and Suspicious Activity

4-min Read17 Reports

  • Spam
  • Uncertain
  • Legit
  • Scam
  • Unknown

02 8503 9897 (0285039897): 10 reports show legitimate NSW government calls alongside impersonation attempts, silent calls, and suspicious staff information requests.

Mixed Reports for 02 8503 9897

The number 02 8503 9897 (also written as 0285039897) presents a complex picture with 10 community reports spanning legitimate government services, scam attempts, and nuisance calls. Four contributors confirmed genuine calls from NSW TrainLink, Service NSW, and Revenue NSW through independent verification. However, six reports flag concerning activity including Revenue NSW impersonation with threats, silent calls, and a suspicious request for private staff information.

This NSW-based local service number from Symbio Networks Pty Ltd appears to be exploited for impersonation purposes. The most serious report involves a scam caller claiming to represent Revenue NSW payroll tax, demanding payment within three days and threatening a 25% penalty - a claim the contributor verified as fraudulent through independent checking.

Legitimate and Scam Activity on 0285039897

Contributors have identified four genuine calls from 02 8503 9897, including NSW TrainLink booking confirmations, Service NSW app support, and legitimate Revenue NSW inquiries. These callers could be verified by calling back on official published numbers (NSW TrainLink: 132 232, Service NSW: 13 77 88).

In stark contrast, one contributor received a voicemail from 0285039897 impersonating Revenue NSW payroll tax division. The caller claimed unpaid payroll tax for July 2023, demanded payment within three days, threatened a 25% penalty, and provided a 1300 callback number. The contributor's independent verification across multiple sources confirmed this was a scam.

Silent Calls and Information Requests from 02 8503 9897

Beyond the payroll tax impersonation, contributors have reported other suspicious uses of 0285039897. One contributor answered to silence on the line before the caller hung up after seconds. Another received two calls where the phone asked for details but callers didn't get through, with callbacks failing.

A workplace-specific report describes a woman calling 02 8503 9897 who claimed affiliation with the recipient's head office and requested private staff information. She identified herself as Maria and gave dodgy reasons for needing staff details. The contributor noted this request contradicted their normal administrative procedures and suspected the caller was acting on behalf of someone known to be harassing and slandering staff.

What to Do If You Receive a Call from 02 8503 9897

Given the mixed nature of this number, approach calls from 02 8503 9897 with caution:

  • Do: Let calls go to voicemail initially to assess legitimacy
  • Do: If the call claims to be from a government agency, hang up and call them back on an official published number (e.g., 132 232 for NSW TrainLink, 13 77 88 for Service NSW, 1300 numbers listed on ato.gov.au for tax matters)
  • Do: Block the number if it calls repeatedly without leaving coherent messages
  • Do not: Provide personal or staff information to unsolicited callers
  • Do not: Act on payment demands, threats of penalties, or time pressure without independent verification
  • Do not: Call back any number provided by the caller - use official government contact details instead

Report Patterns for 02 8503 9897

The 10 reports span from May 2023 to April 2026, suggesting ongoing misuse of this number. Reports include silent calls with no engagement, spam claiming unrelated agency affiliation, suspicious personal information requests, and impersonation of Revenue NSW with financial threats. The presence of four legitimate reports indicates the number does belong to genuine NSW services, but scammers appear to have spoofed or exploited it for impersonation purposes.

How to Report 02 8503 9897

If you receive a suspicious call from 02 8503 9897, report it through these Australian government channels:

  • Scamwatch: scamwatch.gov.au - for suspected scams including Revenue NSW impersonation
  • ACMA (Australian Communications and Media Authority): acma.gov.au - for unwanted calls, silent calls, and nuisance contact
  • ReportCyber: cyber.gov.au - if the call involved phishing or credential harvesting
  • Services Australia: servicesaustralia.gov.au - to report impersonation of Centrelink or tax-related scams

Contribute your experience on Reverseau to help other Australians identify this number's behaviour patterns.


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Ratings Distribution

2.7 out of 5
5 Stars 35%
4 Stars 6%
3 Stars 0%
2 Stars 18%
1 Star 35%

What Our Users Reviewed

A
Anonymous

Answered this morning, just silence on the other end, rang off after a couple of seconds

A
Anonymous

Two calls but phone asked for details and they didn't get through, callback failed

A
Anonymous

Call from Revenue NSW, it's a legit call, can't ring them back as it's a private line

A
Anonymous

A lady called my work claiming she was from our head office section asking for private information on our staff. We weren’t going to give out anything and it’s not our method of administration either. Her name was Maria and the number used 02 85039897. Her reasons were dodgy and suspicious and she was acting on behalf of another person we have had issues with that is targeting, slandering and harassing staff.

A
Anonymous

Left voicemail about booking, called them back on 132232 and confirmed it was NSW TrainLink

A
Anonymous

Answered and no one was on the line so hung up, tried calling back from a withheld number and got out of service message, likely a scam

V
Verdun

Call from Revenue NSW payroll tax. Left a message saying did not receive payroll tax for the month of July 2023. Please pay in the next 3 days otherwise we'll send you an estimate with a 25% penalty and left a 1300 number to call back. I was sure we didn't have any dues with the revenue department so cross checked the number in multiple ways and decided it was a scam.

A
Anonymous

Service NSW called about app issue, was helpful

A
Anonymous

Definitely spam, constantly calls claiming to be agencies unrelated to my affairs

A
Anonymous

This call is legitimate, NSW TrainLink on 132 232

M
Maio

Someone claiming to be from government offering travel refund for November 2022 XPT trip. Had details about my first-class upgrade, asked for VISA info. Callback number 132 212 didn't match Transport NSW

C
Curlin

TAFE NSW called about my course application, was expecting it and very helpful

A
Aristizabal

Number is used by a VOIP provider for outgoing calls, often results in unsolicited calls

W
Windisch

Called back and got an automated message about scammer

K
Klar

Caller was rude and unprofessional, claimed to be from Revenue NSW

F
Farrelly

Called in response to my voucher inquiry

A
Anonymous

Who ever this is added their number to my contact details on my gov for centerlink. Be aware. Im reporting now. Scamner will not answer when U call back which isn't actually re commended.


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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 02 8503 9897 definitely a scam number?

No. The number 0285039897 is legitimately assigned to NSW services including NSW TrainLink and Service NSW, as four contributors verified. However, it has been impersonated in scams. Four reports confirm genuine calls, while six report suspicious or fraudulent activity including Revenue NSW impersonation and silent calls. Always verify by calling back on official published numbers rather than trusting the caller's number.

A caller from 02 8503 9897 claimed to be from Revenue NSW and demanded payment for unpaid payroll tax. Is this real?

This is a known scam pattern reported from 0285039897. One contributor received exactly this voicemail - claiming unpaid July 2023 payroll tax, demanding payment within three days, threatening a 25% penalty, and providing a 1300 callback number. The contributor verified it was fraudulent. Revenue NSW will contact you through official channels (13 28 66) about genuine tax matters. Never call a number provided by the caller; always use official ATO or Revenue NSW contact details from ato.gov.au or revenue.nsw.gov.au.

What should I do if I get a silent call from 02 8503 9897?

One contributor answered 0285039897 to silence before the caller hung up within seconds. If this happens to you with 02 8503 9897, hang up and block the number if it repeats. Silent calls are often part of scam ringback tactics or automated dialling campaigns. Do not call back, as this confirms your number is active and may increase future contact attempts.

Someone called claiming to be from my head office on 02 8503 9897 asking for staff information. Is this legitimate?

A contributor reported a woman calling from 0285039897 claiming to be Maria from their head office, requesting private staff information. The request contradicted normal administrative procedures and appeared unrelated to legitimate business needs. If you receive similar calls from 02 8503 9897 asking for staff details, employee numbers, or other private information, treat it as suspicious. Legitimate head office calls typically follow established internal procedures, not unsolicited calls from external numbers.

I called back 02 8503 9897 and got an out-of-service message. What does this mean?

One contributor reported attempting to call back 0285039897 from a withheld number and received an out-of-service message, suspecting a scam. This pattern - where calls originate from 02 8503 9897 but return an out-of-service error when called back - is characteristic of spoofed or manipulated caller ID. The legitimate NSW services using this number operate on published contact lines (NSW TrainLink: 132 232), so if you need to reach them, use those official numbers instead of returning the call.

How can I verify if a call from 02 8503 9897 is genuinely from NSW government?

If 0285039897 calls claiming to be from a NSW government agency, hang up and independently verify by calling their official published number: NSW TrainLink (132 232), Service NSW (13 77 88), Revenue NSW (13 21 92), or ATO (13 28 66 for tax matters). Do not use any phone number the caller provides. Four contributors successfully verified legitimate calls from 02 8503 9897 using this method, while others identified scams by discovering the claims were false through independent checking.