Davies, Thompson & Wright
CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS
Report or Verify an ATO Scam...
As most of you will be aware there are so many scams out there, and the scammers are becoming so proficient it is increasingly difficult to determine what is authentic and what is a scam. The ATO is a prime target for scammers and some of the most recent scams are very convincing. Scams are out there in all formats - a phone call, an email or even an SMS text message. To help our clients determine what is or what isn't a scam, please note the following:
The ATO will never :
- threaten you with immediate arrest
- ask you to pay money to receive a refund or payment from them
- ask you to pay a debt via iTunes vouchers, or pre-paid credit card or store gift cards
- ask you to provide personal information, such as your tax file number (TFN) or credit card number, via email or SMS
- ask you to pay money into a personal bank account
- direct you to download files from the internet, or open attachments in unsolicited emails.
You should never :
- click on any links or open attachments
- provide personal information such as your tax file number, bank details or credit card number, or
- respond to the sender.
If you think you are a victim of a scam, or to verify if the call you have received could be a scam , please contact the ATO on 1800 008 540 Monday to Friday 8.00am - 6.00pm. If you receive a scam email, please forward directly to ReportEmailFraud@ato.gov.au without making any changes or amendments, and delete from both your inbox and sent folders. Remember DO NOT click on links or open any attachments as these may be designed to install malicious malware to your computer.
To view examples of recent scams, or to read further, see the following ATO info page: Verify or report a scam
