Here’s a practical checklist you can use to decide whether a telehealth service is legitimate, with actions you can take and red flags to watch for. I’ve included Australia‑specific checks where relevant.

Quick checklist

• Confirm the provider is registered: check the practitioner’s full name against the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) register (doctors, nurses, allied health professions where regulated).
• Verify organisation and contact details: the service should show a physical address, an ABN or ACN, and a phone number that connects to a real business.
• Check practitioner details shown during the consult: you should be told the clinician’s name, qualifications and registration number before or at the start.
• Secure platform and privacy: the platform should use HTTPS, explain how your health data is stored and who can access it, and give a privacy policy compliant with the Privacy Act.
• Billing transparency: prices, Medicare billing (if applicable), bulk‑billing or out‑of‑pocket fees and refund/cancellation policies must be clear.
• Clear consent and record keeping: you should be asked for informed consent for the consult and told if notes go into an electronic health record (e.g., My Health Record).
• Professional communication: appointment confirmations, receipts and clinical summaries should be provided and stored appropriately.
• Independent reviews and reputation: look for Google/Healthdirect reviews, social media presence, news stories — be careful of fake reviews.
• Ask for a second opinion if unsure and don’t accept a single online diagnosis for serious conditions without follow up.

How to do each check (step‑by‑step)

1. Look up the clinician on AHPRA (doctors, nurses, etc.). Match name + registration number + profession. If they’re not listed, that’s a red flag. (AHPRA: national register of regulated health practitioners.)
2. Confirm the business: search the ABN Lookup (Australian Business Register) or look for an ACN on the website. Confirm the phone number works and matches the organisation name.
3. Verify the telehealth platform: check the website URL uses HTTPS and the browser shows a padlock. Read the privacy policy to see where data is stored and how long it’s kept. Legitimate services will explain encryption and data handling.
4. Medicare and billing: reputable Australian telehealth services say whether they bulk‑bill or charge a fee and show how Medicare rebates apply. If they pressure you to pay by unusual methods (gift cards, cryptocurrency) — stop.
5. Check clinical practice behaviour: legitimate clinicians will take medical history, ask relevant questions, explain limits of telehealth, and suggest in‑person follow‑up when needed. They should not prescribe controlled drugs without proper assessment.
6. Search for independent mention: Healthdirect, local GP networks, or state health services sometimes list trusted telehealth providers. Look for news coverage of the company or clinic.
7. Ask direct questions before booking (see suggested script below).

Red flags — stop and verify if any apply

• Clinician won’t give full name, registration number, or refuses to let you verify credentials.
• No physical address, no ABN/ACN, or only a mobile phone number.
• Website has poor grammar, low quality design, or odd payment requests.
• Pressure to buy long subscriptions or upfront payments without trial/clear refund policy.
• Requests for unnecessary sensitive documents (e.g., passport/Medicare card photocopies) or for account passwords.
• Prescribing high‑risk controlled medications after a single short video call with no prior records.
• No privacy policy or an unclear data handling statement.

What to ask the service or clinician (short script)

• “What is the clinician’s full name, qualifications and registration number?”
• “Is the clinician registered with AHPRA? Can I verify their registration?”
• “Do you have an ABN/ACN and a physical clinic address?”
• “How is my health information stored and protected? Do you use encrypted connections?”
• “How do you bill? Will Medicare cover any of this consultation?”
• “Will a record of this consult be placed in My Health Record or shared with my regular GP?”
• “What are the limits of telehealth for my condition and when should I come in person?”

If something seems wrong — what to do

• Don’t provide extra personal documents or pay unusual ways.
• Confirm clinician registration on AHPRA (or the equivalent regulator).
• Report suspected fraud/scams to Scamwatch (Australian Competition & Consumer Commission) and your bank if you paid.
• Report unprofessional or unsafe practice to AHPRA (they handle complaints about practitioner conduct).
• If you’re in immediate danger or having a medical emergency, call emergency services (000 in Australia).

Useful authorities (Australia)

• AHPRA: register of regulated health practitioners.
• Australian Digital Health Agency / My Health Record: information about electronic health records.
• Scamwatch (ACCC): reports on scams and how to report them.
• State health departments or Healthdirect for trusted telehealth options.

Summary (one-line) A legitimate telehealth service will show verifiable clinician registration (AHPRA), clear business details (ABN/ACN), transparent billing and privacy policies, secure technology, and professional clinical practice — if any of those are missing or pressure/odd payment requests occur, stop and verify.

If you’d like, tell me the name of the telehealth service you’re checking and I can walk through the verification steps for that specific provider.