Do you use a VPN to be able to access your My.Gov account in Australia?

[scorecard]

Recently discovered that there's been new upgrades to the logon requirements to access a My.Gov account from abroad.

 

Now the signin requires: username and own password, then a 6 digit OTP number is sent to Australian telephone number which must be inserted in the website signin steps, then full access.

 

Centrelink staff member explained that you cannot have the OTP number sent to a telephone number maintained with a provider abroad.

 

Which means maintaining a monthly telephone account with Telstra or Optus or Vodafone etc, around AUD30 - 40 a month. Not the greatest of ideas, partly because of cost and to open such an account from abroad is quite difficult in terms of proving Australian address. 

 

But signin code can be sent by e.mail. However that requires cancellation of any current my.gov account and restart a My.Gov account but don't provide any phone numbers at all but do give your e.mail address. This method by default sends the 6 digit to your e.mail.

 

Centrelink agent suggested using a VPN which cancels all the above issues.

 

Is anybody doing this? if you are would you please share what (hopefully free) VPN you are using.

 

Thanks. 

[rhodie]

1 hour ago, scorecard said:

if you are would you please share what (hopefully free) VPN you are using.

I use a free version of VPN Australia, but not for MyGov. I have an Amaysim SIM which has free roaming SMS's and only requires a $10 top up every year to stay valid for OTP's.

[KhunHeineken]

Aldi Mobile Pay As You Go from the Aldi supermarket.

 

$15 for 365 days validity.  Uses the Telstra mobile network.  Turn on international roaming.  Top ups can be done online once a year with a credit card, or you can set up auto recharge.  

 

Handy when back in Australia also as the calls are cheap.  

 

https://www.aldimobile.com.au/collections/payg

 

Edited December 21, 2021 by KhunHeineken

[scorecard]

39 minutes ago, rhodie said:

I use a free version of VPN Australia, but not for MyGov. I have an Amaysim SIM which has free roaming SMS's and only requires a $10 top up every year to stay valid for OTP's.

Thanks, all I can find is Express VPN Australia (Not free around AUD (per month). Can you please share a link to free VPN Australia, and is the Amaysim SIM from free VPN Australia or from a different organization? 

[gearbox]

No need to use Mygov with VPN.  I use it now with myGovID app on my phones, it is a 2 factor authenticating app. You can install it on more than one device to have a backup. For setup and verification it needs passport, DL and Medicare card. AFAIK the old username/password/sms access still works, Aldi Mobile sim is best for this.

[rhodie]

3 hours ago, scorecard said:

Thanks, all I can find is Express VPN Australia (Not free around AUD (per month). Can you please share a link to free VPN Australia, and is the Amaysim SIM from free VPN Australia or from a different organization? 

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=vpn.australia_tap2free&hl=en_AU&gl=US 

 

https://www.amaysim.com.au/ 

[scorecard]

55 minutes ago, rhodie said:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=vpn.australia_tap2free&hl=en_AU&gl=US 

 

https://www.amaysim.com.au/ 

Thank you, appreciated.

 

Can I confirm, if I want to get an OTP from Australia, when I'm in Thailand I would need to change from my AIS simcard to the amaysim simcard, then after getting/using the OTP number change back to the AIS simcard.  Is That correct, appreciate your advice.

 

(I'm coming up to 77 yo, not 100% knowledgeable about how all this works.  I have Thai PR (already 24 years)  and I'll stay in LOS until the day I drop. 

 

So just wondering if it would be better/easier to go the route of not entering any phone number in the My.Gov sign-up (that can be done) but do enter my e.mail address which means when I'm opening My.Gov in the future I type in:

- e.mail adrress

- personal password

- at the time time I would get an OTP by e.mail,

 

All above entered, the site opens.

 

Further if I'm away from my notebook I can always get the OTP e.mail on my smartphone.

 

All comments/suggestions appreciated.)

[rhodie]

Yes, you would need to change SIM cards unless you had a dual sim phone. I always hang onto my previous phone so I can work with 4 sims which is handy.

 

I'd say do whatever you are comfortable with that works for you. Never easy with technology changing so quickly.

 

Good luck.

[scorecard]

1 hour ago, rhodie said:

Yes, you would need to change SIM cards unless you had a dual sim phone. I always hang onto my previous phone so I can work with 4 sims which is handy.

 

I'd say do whatever you are comfortable with that works for you. Never easy with technology changing so quickly.

 

Good luck.

Thanks.

[Will27]

Nothing has changed for me.

Don't need a vpn at all.

 

I think you can opt to receive an OTP.

Are you sure you haven't requested it?

[scorecard]

3 hours ago, Will27 said:

Nothing has changed for me.

Don't need a vpn at all.

 

I think you can opt to receive an OTP.

Are you sure you haven't requested it?

 

Not sure what you mean:

 

- Opt to receive an OTP from Australia from My.gov Australia using an Australian telecoms service? (But my Telstra mobile service is totally cancelled and I have no other accounts with any of the Australian telecoms and I don't want to start a new mobile account with any telecoms in Australia even if it AUD5- a month or similar.)

 

- Opt to receive an OTP issued by My.gov using my AIS mobile account? (However I understand that AIS or any Thai Telecoms have no linking to Mg.gov Australia.) 

 

Please share your thoughts.

[Will27]

3 hours ago, scorecard said:

 

Not sure what you mean:

 

- Opt to receive an OTP from Australia from My.gov Australia using an Australian telecoms service? (But my Telstra mobile service is totally cancelled and I have no other accounts with any of the Australian telecoms and I don't want to start a new mobile account with any telecoms in Australia even if it AUD5- a month or similar.)

 

- Opt to receive an OTP issued by My.gov using my AIS mobile account? (However I understand that AIS or any Thai Telecoms have no linking to Mg.gov Australia.) 

 

Please share your thoughts.

Sorry I wasn't clearer before.

I think you can ask to received an OTP.

 

My log in details are the same, but now it has has an extra box that says: Log in using your myGovID Digital Identity.

Which I assume is the OTP.

 

I've never used a VPN and nothing has changed for my logging on.

[gearbox]

4 hours ago, Will27 said:

Sorry I wasn't clearer before.

I think you can ask to received an OTP.

 

My log in details are the same, but now it has has an extra box that says: Log in using your myGovID Digital Identity.

Which I assume is the OTP.

 

I've never used a VPN and nothing has changed for my logging on.

myGovID Digital Identity. is a different form of OTP, similar to the Microsoft Authenticator.  It is an app installed on a smart phone. The old OTP method was a SMS to a registered phone. AFAIK the old method is still working.

[scorecard]

2 hours ago, Uldoni said:

I also use this method. It is the simplest and most reliable one.

I've checked further and it's (in my view) even simpler with the following method to login, which doesn't use any OTP methodology.

 

As follows (and this involves starting My.gov again then reconnecting the 'items' you want, e.g. Centrelink, Medicare, DVA and many more, which is not difficult):

 

- Record the user name you will be using (In my case my e.mail address).

 

- Record your personal password you will use.

 

- Record 3 simple questions and answers, e.g:

        - How many children do you have?

           And record the correct answer.

        - What city were you born in?

           And record the correct answer       

        - and one more Q and A

 

        The 3 examples just above are all from your personal thoughts,            not from the system.

 

When you do login, the screen will accept your username and password and then a random selection of one of your questions appears and you enter the correct answer.

 

All done. Not complicated in any way by your current location and very fast. 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 22, 2021 by scorecard

[Will27]

1 hour ago, scorecard said:

I've checked further and it's (in my view) even simpler with the following method to login, which doesn't use any OTP methodology.

 

As follows (and this involves starting My.gov again then reconnecting the 'items' you want, e.g. Centrelink, Medicare, DVA and many more, which is not difficult):

 

- Record the user name you will be using (In my case my e.mail address).

 

- Record your personal password you will use.

 

- Record 3 simple questions and answers, e.g:

        - How many children do you have?

           And record the correct answer.

        - What city were you born in?

           And record the correct answer       

        - and one more Q and A

 

        The 3 examples just above are all from your personal thoughts,            not from the system.

 

When you do login, the screen will accept your username and password and then a random selection of one of your questions appears and you enter the correct answer.

 

All done. Not complicated in any way by your current location and very fast. 

 

 

 

 

Yep

 

That's the way I do it as well.

[KhunHeineken]

On 12/21/2021 at 3:54 PM, scorecard said:

I have Thai PR (already 24 years)  and I'll stay in LOS until the day I drop. 

Why would you need to access the MyGov website then?

[scorecard]

2 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

Why would you need to access the MyGov website then?

That's a personal question, however I will share that I'm an Australian Citizen and a Vietnam war veteran, I have reasons to use the Dep't of Veterans Affairs website. No further comment.

[KhunHeineken]

On 12/30/2021 at 3:26 PM, scorecard said:

That's a personal question, however I will share that I'm an Australian Citizen and a Vietnam war veteran, I have reasons to use the Dep't of Veterans Affairs website. No further comment.

 

No problem.  

 

Did you get it sorted out?  

 

Edited January 17, 2022 by KhunHeineken

[scorecard]

6 hours ago, KhunHeineken said:

 

No problem.  

 

Did you get it sorted out?  

 

Thanks, yes, set up for normal login plus 1 of 3 extra personal pre-organized questions.

Very easy. 

[crouchpeter]

On 12/30/2021 at 11:26 AM, scorecard said:

That's a personal question, however I will share that I'm an Australian Citizen and a Vietnam war veteran, I have reasons to use the Dep't of Veterans Affairs website. No further comment.

He could tell you, but he'd have to kill you afterwards!