Australians have been warned to be vigilant for scams that impersonate Australian Taxation Office (ATO) employees.
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ATO received more than 20,000 scam reports from taxpayers for 2020-21 and has received 20,726 reports so far in 2022-23.
As we approach June 30, ATO impersonation scams are expected to surge.
NAB's scam awareness lead Tessa Bowles said Australians needed to arm themselves with knowledge to identify tax scams.
"At this time of year, criminals are thinking about how to get your tax returns," she said.
"These scams often involve criminals claiming you need to pay a processing fee or provide your personal details to have your tax refund released.
"Scammers may also try to trick people into thinking they owe a tax debt and must pay to avoid being arrested."
Text and email are the most common contact methods scammers use.
"The number of phone calls impersonating the ATO in June last year was double the monthly average," Ms Bowles said.
"These phone calls can often be quite aggressive and threatening, but it's important to remember the ATO will never threaten anyone with immediate arrest.
"Never feel pressured into making a payment and contact your bank immediately if you think you've been scammed."
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An ATO spokesperson said the odds of being targeted by scammers had increased.
"What we see around this time of year are heightened impersonation scams, where scammers pretend to be the ATO and contact taxpayers asking for personal details or money," they said.
The ATO may call you, send an SMS or email but there were a couple of common red flags that might make it easier for you to spot a scam:
- The ATO will never send you a link to login to online services or ask you to send personal information via social media, email or SMS
- The ATO will never demand you stay on the line until a payment is made
- The ATO will never threaten you with immediate arrest
- The ATO will never send unsolicited pre-recorded messages to your phone
- Calls from the ATO do not show a number. They will show as No Caller ID.
Below are some tips to follow if you think you have been scammed.
- Visit ato.gov.au/scams to check if the warnings signs listed on the webpage apply to the contact.
- Report any suspicious contact claiming to be from the ATO to ReportScams@ato.gov.au and delete the correspondence from your account or block the account on social media.
- If you have paid money or provided personal information to a scammer, phone us on 1800 008 540 to make a report
- If you receive a phone call from the ATO you think may be a scam, do not engage - hang up and call 1800 008 540 to check if it was the ATO speaking with you.
Layton Holley
Layton is a journalist at The Border Mail. He is interested in profiles, features, and hard news. If you have a story please reach out to him at layton.holley@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Layton is a journalist at The Border Mail. He is interested in profiles, features, and hard news. If you have a story please reach out to him at layton.holley@austcommunitymedia.com.au
