February 1, 2019
The Australian Taxation Office is warning taxpayers to be alert for scammers who have been developing new ways to get taxpayers’ money and personal information.
“We are seeing the emergence of a new scam, where scammers are using an ATO number to send fraudulent SMS messages to taxpayers asking them to click on a link and hand over their personal details in order to obtain a refund,” Assistant Commissioner Karen Foat said.
The ATO received many reports in 2018 of scammers maliciously manipulating the calling line identification so the phone number that appears is different to the number from which the call originated.
This is known as “spoofing” and is a common technique used by scammers in an attempt to make their interactions with taxpayers appear legitimate.
Ms Foat warned that legitimate email domains and SMS origins could also be spoofed by scammers.
“This scam is not just targeting your money, but is after your personal information in an attempt to steal your identity,” she said.
“Taxpayers should be wary of any phone call, text message, email or letter about a tax refund or debt, especially if you weren’t expecting it,” she said.
While the ATO does contact taxpayers by phone, email and SMS, there are some tell-tale signs that it isn’t the ATO.
The ATO will not:
- Send you an email or SMS asking you to click on a link to provide log-in, personal or financial information, or to download a file or open an attachment;
- Use aggressive or rude behaviour, or threaten you with arrest, jail or deportation;
- Request payment of a debt via iTunes or Google Play cards, pre-paid Visa cards, cryptocurrency or direct credit to a personal bank account; or
- Request a fee in order to release a refund owed to you.
“If you are unsure about a call, text message or email that you have received, don’t reply,” Ms Foat said.
“It’s okay to slow down and phone us on 1800-008-540 to check if the contact was legitimate or to report a scam.
“The community plays an important role in stopping scammer activities by reporting them to our scam line. Your reports help us to get an accurate picture of what is happening with the current scams, which ultimately helps protect the Australian community.”
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ATO Tips To Stop Scammers
- Know your tax affairs – Taxpayers can log into myGov to check their tax affairs at any time, or contact your tax agent or the ATO
- Guard your personal and financial information – Be careful when clicking on links, downloading files or opening attachments. Only give your personal information to people you trust, and try not to share it on social media.
- If you are unsure about whether a call, text message or email is genuine, don’t reply. Call the ATO on 1800-008-540 to verify.
- Know legitimate ways to make payments – Scammers may use threatening tactics to trick their victims into paying false debts via pre-paid gift cards or by sending money to non-ATO bank accounts. To check that a payment method is legitimate, visit gov.au/howtopay
- Talk to your family and friends about scams – If you or someone you know has fallen victim to a tax-related scam, call the ATO as soon as possible.
To see the ATO’s latest scam alerts, visit ato.gov.au/scams
