- Suspicious
- Scam
02 8766 1358 (0287661358): Two reports of fake immigration department calls with voicemail claiming urgent action needed. Callers impersonate Australian immigration with multi-language prompts.
Immigration Department Impersonation Reports for 02 8766 1358
Two contributors have reported suspicious calls from 02 8766 1358 (also written as 0287661358) impersonating the Australian immigration department. Both reports arrived today, with callers attempting to create urgency by claiming contributors would lose important information if they missed the callback. The Bankstown-registered local service number is being used to add legitimacy to what contributors immediately recognised as fraudulent.
The voicemail left by callers from 0287661358 explicitly identified itself as coming from 'the immigration department' and instructed recipients to select a language preference, offering options for English and Chinese. This multi-language approach suggests the scammers are targeting diverse communities within Sydney's western suburbs.
What Callers from 02 8766 1358 Claim
The caller from 02 8766 1358 left a voicemail using official-sounding language: 'the immigration department, please don't miss it again to avoid losing important information related to you.' This phrasing creates false urgency and implies the recipient has already missed a previous legitimate attempt to contact them, a common social engineering tactic.
After the English language greeting, the voicemail from 0287661358 proceeded to speak in Chinese, indicating the scammers had identified or were targeting Chinese-speaking Australians. The multi-language capability and immigration department impersonation combination suggests a coordinated operation designed to exploit concerns about visa status, permanent residency applications, or citizenship matters.
Report Patterns and Timing
Both reports about 02 8766 1358 were submitted today, indicating active use of this number for impersonation calls. One contributor received a missed call, while another received a detailed voicemail message, showing the scammers are willing to leave identifying evidence when direct contact fails.
The use of a local Bankstown number adds credibility to what is clearly a scam. Contributors familiar with how the Department of Home Affairs actually contacts people via official channels or myGov would immediately recognise the unusual voicemail format and language switching as fraudulent. The previous reports mentioning 02 8766 1358 in connection with fake immigration claims corroborate this pattern.
What to Do If You Receive a Call from 02 8766 1358
If 02 8766 1358 calls you:
- Do not: Return the call, press any buttons, or provide any personal information such as passport details, visa status, or date of birth
- Do not: Click any links or follow instructions to verify immigration matters through the call
- Do: Let calls from 0287661358 go to voicemail and hang up if you accidentally answer
- Do: Block the number immediately after receiving a call or voicemail
- Do: Contact the Department of Home Affairs directly using the official number on their website if you have genuine immigration concerns
- Do: Verify any immigration department communication through your myGov account or by calling the official Department of Home Affairs line, never through a number that called you
How to Report 02 8766 1358
Report this immigration impersonation scam to Australian authorities:
- Report to Scamwatch at scamwatch.gov.au with details of the call from 02 8766 1358 and the voicemail content
- Report to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) at acma.gov.au to flag this number for scam activity
- Report to ReportCyber at cyber.gov.au if you clicked any links or provided information
- Report to the Department of Home Affairs directly if you have a legitimate visa or immigration matter and received this scam call
- Contribute your experience on Reverseau to help other Australians identify 0287661358 as fraudulent
Help others by sharing your experience with (02) 8766 1358!
WRITE A REVIEWRatings Distribution
What Our Users Reviewed
They call my old expired unvalid number. The previous comment said "from the Immigration" and that alone screamed scam especially when the number is registered in Bankstown.
Missed a call from the above number. The voice message left said it was a call from 'the immigration department, please don't miss it again to avoid losing important information related to you. Please select your language, press one for English, press two for Chinese', then proceeded to speak in Chinese.
Help others by sharing your experience with (02) 8766 1358!
WRITE A REVIEWFrequently Asked Questions
Is 02 8766 1358 a real immigration department number?
No. The Department of Home Affairs does not initiate contact through voicemail asking you to select a language and confirm personal details. The number 02 8766 1358 (0287661358) is registered to a local service provider in Bankstown and is being misused to impersonate immigration authorities. Always verify immigration matters through myGov or by calling the official Department of Home Affairs number on their website, never by returning a call from 02 8766 1358.
Why did the caller from 0287661358 ask me to select English or Chinese?
Scammers using 02 8766 1358 employ multi-language options to broaden their targets across different communities. By offering Chinese language support alongside English, they're specifically targeting Chinese-speaking Australians who may be more concerned about visa or residency status. The language selection feature makes the call appear more legitimate and official, but genuine immigration department communications do not use this format.
What should I do if I already pressed a button or provided information to 02 8766 1358?
If you interacted with 0287661358, do not provide any additional information. Contact your bank immediately if you shared financial details. Report the scam to ReportCyber at cyber.gov.au and Scamwatch at scamwatch.gov.au. Change your passwords for myGov and other government services if you disclosed login information. Monitor your mail and email for fraudulent documents. The fact that two recent reports about 02 8766 1358 mention fake immigration contacts suggests this is active scam infrastructure requiring immediate reporting.
Can I trust a call claiming to be from immigration if they have my name and suburb?
No. The previous report about similar calls from 02 8766 1358 noted that callers already knew recipients' personal details, indicating possible data sourcing from public records, electoral rolls, or breached databases. Legitimate immigration matters are handled through myGov, official mail with correct department letterhead, or phone calls to numbers you initiate after verifying through official government websites. Never trust 0287661358 even if callers know personal information about you.
What does the voicemail from 02 8766 1358 mean by 'avoid losing important information'?
This is urgency manipulation. The voicemail from 0287661358 deliberately creates panic by suggesting you've already missed a previous contact and will lose important immigration-related information if you don't call back immediately. The Department of Home Affairs handles urgent matters through official channels-myGov notifications, registered mail, or calls from verified department numbers. The phrasing used by 02 8766 1358 is designed to bypass your scepticism by making you feel you've already been contacted before.
How can I report 02 8766 1358 to stop other people getting these calls?
Report 0287661358 to Scamwatch (scamwatch.gov.au), ACMA (acma.gov.au), and ReportCyber (cyber.gov.au) with specific details about the call date, time, and voicemail content mentioning fake immigration department claims. Share your experience on Reverseau to alert other Australians that 02 8766 1358 is being used for immigration impersonation scams. The more reports received about this number, the faster authorities can take action to protect others from similar fraudulent calls.