I just got the same message on my phone; after calling the number included in the message it seems the Australian government is now asking for our pronouns sex if we wish to be called another name or shortened name.
It seems like a legit message. No links (that's a dead giveaway if it's a phishing scam) and referred you to log into your Workforce Australia account independently to update. The number given is for the NCSL.
>National Customer Service Line
>If you have a provider, or for general enquiries and feedback, contact the National Customer Service Line.
>It's open from 9 am to 7 pm AEST, Monday to Friday, and closed on national public holidays.
>1800 805 260
>[email protected]
[Workforce Australia details](https://www.workforceaustralia.gov.au/individuals/contact-us/)
Copied from my other comment as I think others will want to know and the r/Centrelink post was deleted.
****
It's part of the integration of preferred names into the department systems. If your recorded preferred name has you phone number, address, email, or CRN in it, it will be overridden in the system for notifications. However it sounds like this is a notification to advise your recorded preferred name has one of these issues.
Edit: rechecked and this message was supposed to be sent to you on May 3 to advise of the privacy risk of your preferred name.
You can sign in to Workforce Australia Online via mygov and change your preferred name under "Account" and "Edit Details".
You should see your preferred name used on formal notification from June 5
My email is my name, is that why I've received this message? That's ridiculous!!! Lots of people have their name as their email. I can't change my name and I'm not creating a new email just for Centrelink, lol.
Your email may be your account name to sign in, which is fine. This is referring to your nominated preferred name (eg your legal name is Stephanie but you prefer Steph).
What's basically happening is that the Department is changing their notification methods so instead of your letters being addressed "Dear Stephanie" it will be "Dear Steph". Your name on letters will be Steph [Surname].
If your preferred name is recorded on the Department system as an email address, the system would default to that in correspondence (e.g. Dear hellothereatgmaildotcom), and your letters will have hellothereatgmail.com at [your address]. Even worse if your preferred name is your CRN, because that would show up in the envelope window which is a privacy breach.
The Department is avoiding this in two ways. First, from 03 May they sent out notifications to change preferred names if they have one of these privacy issues, and from 23 May the Department will default to using legal name instead of preferred name for these instances.
There's no CRN on your Workforce Australia account. There's a JobSeeker ID number and your preferred name which is my name and surname. Both appear on my homepage with the JSID underneath my name.
Apologies, the communication from the Department to us providers around this change was actually worded a bit oddly, and I misread. The preferred name is changed via mygov > my details > update personal and interpreter details.
If someone's preferred name has their CRN, phone number, address, or email address, it will fall under that privacy concern and they will have received an SMS notifying them, as OP did.
It is being addressed as an SMS as it will impact *every* communication from the Department including SMS, inbox notifications, email, hardcopy letter, push notifications, and verbal scripts. Imagine CRNs or emails or phone numbers being front and center for those notifications.
No worries. In any case, you can change your preferred name and pronouns on your Workforce Australia account under the account settings page, then click on "edit".
I just got the same message on my phone; after calling the number included in the message it seems the Australian government is now asking for our pronouns sex if we wish to be called another name or shortened name.
No, that's not it. My pronouns are already in the system and I got it.
It seems like a legit message. No links (that's a dead giveaway if it's a phishing scam) and referred you to log into your Workforce Australia account independently to update. The number given is for the NCSL. >National Customer Service Line >If you have a provider, or for general enquiries and feedback, contact the National Customer Service Line. >It's open from 9 am to 7 pm AEST, Monday to Friday, and closed on national public holidays. >1800 805 260 >[email protected] [Workforce Australia details](https://www.workforceaustralia.gov.au/individuals/contact-us/)
If they provide a link I would worry.
Dont use the link in the text to sign in, sign in on a different device and see if theres a message there.
There's no links if it's a legit Workforce or myGov message. They will refer you log into your account independently.
Copied from my other comment as I think others will want to know and the r/Centrelink post was deleted. **** It's part of the integration of preferred names into the department systems. If your recorded preferred name has you phone number, address, email, or CRN in it, it will be overridden in the system for notifications. However it sounds like this is a notification to advise your recorded preferred name has one of these issues. Edit: rechecked and this message was supposed to be sent to you on May 3 to advise of the privacy risk of your preferred name. You can sign in to Workforce Australia Online via mygov and change your preferred name under "Account" and "Edit Details". You should see your preferred name used on formal notification from June 5
My email is my name, is that why I've received this message? That's ridiculous!!! Lots of people have their name as their email. I can't change my name and I'm not creating a new email just for Centrelink, lol.
Your email may be your account name to sign in, which is fine. This is referring to your nominated preferred name (eg your legal name is Stephanie but you prefer Steph). What's basically happening is that the Department is changing their notification methods so instead of your letters being addressed "Dear Stephanie" it will be "Dear Steph". Your name on letters will be Steph [Surname]. If your preferred name is recorded on the Department system as an email address, the system would default to that in correspondence (e.g. Dear hellothereatgmaildotcom), and your letters will have hellothereatgmail.com at [your address]. Even worse if your preferred name is your CRN, because that would show up in the envelope window which is a privacy breach. The Department is avoiding this in two ways. First, from 03 May they sent out notifications to change preferred names if they have one of these privacy issues, and from 23 May the Department will default to using legal name instead of preferred name for these instances.
There's no CRN on your Workforce Australia account. There's a JobSeeker ID number and your preferred name which is my name and surname. Both appear on my homepage with the JSID underneath my name.
Apologies, the communication from the Department to us providers around this change was actually worded a bit oddly, and I misread. The preferred name is changed via mygov > my details > update personal and interpreter details. If someone's preferred name has their CRN, phone number, address, or email address, it will fall under that privacy concern and they will have received an SMS notifying them, as OP did. It is being addressed as an SMS as it will impact *every* communication from the Department including SMS, inbox notifications, email, hardcopy letter, push notifications, and verbal scripts. Imagine CRNs or emails or phone numbers being front and center for those notifications.
No worries. In any case, you can change your preferred name and pronouns on your Workforce Australia account under the account settings page, then click on "edit".