The ATO (Australian Taxation Office) is reminding people to be aware of scam emails currently circulating that claim to be from the ATO.
These emails request the recipient to download an attachment that contains malware or to click on a link to an external website that is used to steal their personal details. People should delete these emails immediately.
In 2012, the ATO received just over 26,000 reports from the public on a wide range of scams including fake job advertisements, emails and bogus phone calls.
A range of tricks are used to make scams appear authentic. For example:
- sending emails with attachments that appear to have come from the ATO, which when downloaded infect your computer with malicious software
- including a legitimate-sounding message at the start of a call, such as the call is being recorded ‘for training purposes’.
Once scammers have your personal information they can steal your identity and commit fraud against you, with potentially serious consequences. They can lodge false tax returns in your name, transact using your credit card information or take out a loan in your name.
Anyone can be the victim of a scam. If a correspondence seems suspicious, too good to be true, asks you for personal details or cannot be verified through an official source, it is likely to be a scam and should be reported
If you think you have been the victim of a scam, contact the ATO by calling1800 060 062 (8.00am – 6.00pm, Monday to Friday). You can also report suspected email scams to the ATO by forwarding the email to report fraud email.
Visit theonline security page on the ATO website for more information about how to protect yourself online. This page also includes details of our current ATO SMS and email communications.
