Unfortunately, ATO scammers are targeting hard-working Aussies as we finalise our tax returns.
Scammers have always been around, however we are seeing an exponential rise in their attempts to fool, and in their level of sophistication.
In previous years it was quite simple to pick a scam from a mile away.
However, these days, it can take even the most seasoned professional to pick a scam from a legitimate email.
Not only that, they are not tied to one system or another. You could be hit up over the phone, email or SMS.
So let’s take some time to go through the most common scams that are circulating at the moment and what to look out for.
Tax scam emails doing the rounds
Scam 1: Refund Hoax
In Scam #1 you may receive an ATO-branded email impersonating your tax refund.
This letter will urge you to click a link to receive your tax refund.
Look out for the subject line or phrase in the body of the email: “You are due to receive an ATO Direct refund”.
You can see how this may be appealing to some.
A reminder from the ATO – the ATO will NEVER send an SMS or email with a click to link through to online services.
Remember this and you will never fall victim to this trap.
Scam 2: Fake myGov emails
Unfortunately, the same scam is circulating across myGov.
The myGov email follows the same premise with users sent an email with “You have a new message in your myGov inbox – click here to view”.
As for ATO online services, only access myGov by logging directly into your account.
Never click a link to access myGov online services – this is a red flag for a scam email.
Scam 3: Multi-Factor Authentication
The next scam on the list is falsely advising the public of a required security update to the multifactor authentication on a person’s ATO account.
The email includes a QR code to take you to a fake myGov sign-in page.
The aim is you sign in with your details and the scammer steals your myGov log-in.
Again, the ATO will never request you follow a link or scan a QR code for any reason.
Tax Scam 4: Tax Time SMS and email
We see excessive scam emails around tax time, with subject lines designed to trick you into thinking they are direct from the ATO to open fraudulent links.
Dodgy email subject lines to be aware of include:
- “You are due to receive an ATO Direct refund”
- “You have an ATO notification”
- “You need to update your details to allow your Tax return to be processed”
- “We need to verify your incoming tax deposit”
- “ATO Refund failed due to incorrect BSB/Account number”
- “Due to receive a refund, click here to receive a rebate”
Also be aware with emails, all emails from the ATO should end with a .gov.au.
A good rule of thumb – If in doubt, do not click!
Scam 5: Social Media Accounts Scam
Scammers are not just limited to email and SMS – they are also hitting up social media.
Creating fake social media accounts to impersonate the ATO – whether it be Facebook, Twitter, TikTok or Instagram – they are not picky.
You may receive a direct message asking for you to send a direct message for any tax-related enquiries.
From here they request personal information, all designed to steal your personal data.
The ATOs only official social media platforms are Facebook, X and LinkedIn and they are verified accounts.
Think you may have fallen victim to a scam?
Do you suspect your personal information, such as your tax file number, has been stolen, misused or compromised?
Phone the ATO asap on 1800 467 033.
The ATO will then investigate and place extra protection on your ATO account.
How Does the ATO Contact You?
We’ve spoken about how the ATO does NOT contact you – so how DO they contact you?
The ATO will NEVER send texts or emails with links to services.
It will NEVER ask you for your tax file number or bank details via return email, SMS, or on social media.
If in doubt, log directly into your ATO or myGov account. This is the safest and surest way to check all communications from the ATO.
