The ATO is tipping tax-related scams to rise five-fold as Australians work to lodge their tax returns and gather sensitive financial and personal information.
Scammers looking to commit fraud and identity theft pinpoint individuals by impersonating the ATO and making claims of individuals either being owed a tax refund or having a tax debt from the ATO. Either way, the scams are illegal.
Common ATO scams include:
- Receiving an unexpected call from someone claiming to be the ATO saying that you are due a refund
- Someone calling and demanding immediate arrest if you don't pay an outstanding tax debt
- An individual calling to discuss your ATO details or asking for your TFN or credit card details (in this case you should call the ATO back directly to check authenticity)
To help manage the scams, the Australian Government has set up the Stay Smart Online Alerts website which works to provide online safety and security information to protect users from the latest scams and vulnerabilities.
To keep up to date with the latest scams, individuals and businesses should ensure they have the latest IT security and be aware of all the latest ransomware campaigns by signing up for Stay Smart Online alerts.
Read more about the Stay Smart Online initiative by clicking here.
