Scam emails

If you receive an email from the Department of Transport and Main Roads, make sure it's legitimate before clicking on any links.


Customer email addresses and passwords for online services

We recently sent the below email to customers advising their email address and password used to login to some TMR online services may have been compromised and are no longer secure. Please be assured that the email is legitimate, and was sent from a Department of Transport and Main Roads, Queensland Government email address.

Example email images:

Compromised account email
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Example email text:

Dear CUSTOMER NAME

The Australian Cyber Security Centre has alerted us that your email address and password have been found online in a list of compromised accounts.

Why am I receiving this email?

  • You used these login details for online courses we offer (for example, PrepL or the Hazard Perception Test)
  • Please note: Your course progress or completion has not been impacted

How did this happen?

  • A device you used to access these services may have a virus or malicious software.
  • This means that the email address and password you used to login may have been compromised and is no longer secure.

Please note: This data compromise was not caused by a Department of Transport and Main Roads system breach. Your login details were found through regular monitoring of the internet that we conduct with our threat intelligence partners.

What do I need to do?

1. Protect your devices

  • Review the devices you have used to access our online courses
  • Follow advice from your device's manufacturer or anti-virus provider to remove possible malware and protect yourself from future attack

2. Change your password for online courses

3. Consider other services or platforms

If you also use these login details for QGov, you should change that password too:

  • Go to identity.qld.gov.au
  • Select 'Forgot your password?'
  • Follow the prompts to reset your password

You may also want to consider changing your password for any other services or platforms that use this same email address and password combination for access.

If you have received an email from us previously, it is recommended that you still take action now, as it's unclear when your login details were compromised.

Who can I report this to?

You can make a report online at the Australian Government Cyber Security Centre Website at cyber.gov.au/report 

Is this a scam?

No, this is a legitimate email sent from a Department of Transport and Main Roads, Queensland Government email address. We have also published a notice about it on our website - you can type www.tmr.qld.gov.au into your web browser and search for scam on the site to see a copy of this notice.

Please note that the Terms and Conditions for Transport and Main Roads Online Services including the disclaimer of liability apply to your use of the site.

Department of Transport and Main Roads


Infringement notices

We are aware that members of the public are being sent fraudulent emails containing an infringement notice details.

Fake driver infringement email
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We will only send an infringement notice by email if:

  • you are pulled over by a Queensland Police Officer or Transport Inspector
  • the Police Officer or Transport Inspector issues you a fine
  • you agree to receive the infringement by email.

Fake infringement notice emails are sometimes sent by scammers. If you have any doubts about whether an emailed infringement notices is real, do not open it, click any links in it or open any attachments.

If you are unsure whether a fine is real, contact the agency that issued it, and delete the email once you have confirmed it's fake. If you have access to My TMR Account, you can also log in to see any legitimate fines.

If you wish to report the receipt of a fraudulent infringement notice email, please contact ScamWatch. ScamWatch also provide advice for spotting fraudulent or scam emails.

If you have opened the malicious file or have fallen victim to the scam, it is recommended that you report the matter through Australian Cybercrime Online Reporting Network (ACORN).


Invitation - Driver Offence Notification evaluation

We recently sent the below email to customers inviting them to participate in a short, online survey to give us feedback. This email is legitimate, and was sent from a Department of Transport and Main Roads, Queensland Government email address.

Example email image:

Driver offence notification email
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Example email text:

We welcome your feedback

Why am I receiving this email?

Since August 2020, we have been sending Driver Offence Notifications to customers if a roadside offence was committed in their vehicle by someone else.  As you have been sent a Driver Offence Notification, you are invited to participate in a short, online survey to give us feedback.

About the survey

  • It is voluntary and anonymous
  • Will take on average 5 minutes of your time
  • Responses are confidential
  • Any data collected will be stored securely

Will I receive a reply?

No, you will not receive a response to any of the information you provide.

How to access the survey

Click here to start the survey.

Is this a scam?

No, this is a legitimate email sent from a Department of Transport and Main Roads, Queensland Government email address. We have also published a notice about it on our website.

Thank you for your time.

Department of Transport and Main Roads

Please do not reply to this email. Emails to this mailbox are not monitored. For enquires contact us.


Licence renewal notices

Members of the public have been receiving realistic-looking licence renewal notices from scammers.

Fake licence renewal
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This email has several indicators that it has not been sent by the Department of Transport and Main Roads:

  • it is not sent from a TMR or Queensland Government email address
  • the sender's name does not match the email address
  • the email recipient's full name and address are not included in the greeting
  • there is no signature block or contact information
  • the links in the email do not point to TMR or Queensland government addresses - you can check this by hovering your mouse pointer over the link.

Fake promotional letter for 'The Heavy Industry Magazine'

There are currently promotional letters in circulation that use Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) letterhead and a signature of TMR Director-General Neil Scales to solicit advertisements in a publication called 'The Heavy Industry Magazine'.

The letter is fake, and the signature is a forgery. TMR will never send unsolicited emails or letters encouraging or endorsing the use of third-party products and services.  If you receive such an email or letter, please dispose of it immediately.

If you or your organisation have fallen victim to this scam or others, please contact ScamWatch. ScamWatch also provide advice for spotting fraudulent or scam emails.

Members of the public who receive the emails can report receiving a fraudulent email to ScamWatch.

If you have opened the malicious email or have fallen victim to the scam, it is recommended that you report the matter through Australian Cybercrime Online Reporting Network (ACORN).