June 23, 2014
Queensland Police’s Fraud and Cyber Crime Group is warning residents about an online fraud which is tricking people into believing they have a tax refund.
Police have been receiving regular complaints from members of the public alleging they have been receiving emails from the Australian Taxation Office purporting to offer a tax refund of $286.22.
The reader is asked to select a link to their banking provider (the names of the five major banks are provided). This link will then seek to harvest identity and financial information.
“As we approach the end of the financial year and tax time nears, fraudsters will seek to dupe members of the public into surrendering their identity and financial information under the guise of representing the Australian Taxation Office,” Detective Superintendent Brian Hay said.
To provide an air of legitimacy to their criminal operations the fraudsters have included an “authentic” 1300 number used by the ATO for their Publications Distribution Service.
“Any person who receives this email should delete it immediately and not click any link embedded in the email,” Det Supt Hay said.
“We can expect these types of emails to continue during the current period and it is imperative people remain alert for these types of frauds.”
