Tax time is almost upon us, but as Aussies prepare to crunch the numbers, a leading financial body has issued a warning to watch out for scammers.
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CPA Australia warns all taxpayers are vulnerable at this time of year, with scammers using a mix of old tricks and new methods to defraud people.
Spokesman Gavan Ord said methods employed by scammers included fraudulent messages claiming to be from the Australian Tax Office or other reputable organisations.
Mr Ord said scammers often urged people to act quickly to take advantage of an opportunity for financial gain or avoid a penalty.
"These scams prey on our natural instincts, which is why we need to stop and think before we click any links or give over any personal information."
Mr Ord said if in doubt, it was always best to avoid giving out personal information to someone claiming to represent a trusted source.
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Speaking on CPA Australia's With Interest podcast this week, the ATO's Assistant Commissioner of Cyber Governance, Joda Walter warned Australians to be wary of fake MyGov pages.
Text messages and emails claiming to be from the ATO and containing links to fake myGov web pages remain one of the most common types of scams.
The CPA has released the following tips on how to tell the difference between legitimate messages from the ATO and scams:
- Look for any grammatical errors or unusual language in emails or SMS messages.
- The ATO has removed hyperlinks from SMS messages to make it easier for people to differentiate real messages from fake ones. If you see any links or QR codes in a message claiming to be from the ATO, it is a scam.
- When checking emails, look for abnormalities in the senders' address. If the address includes the acronym ATO or Australian Taxation Office in full, look for subtle anomalies like the use of numbers, extra letters, or removal of letters.
- Be wary of anyone making unexpected requests for personal or financial information, especially if they claim it's urgent. The ATO will never ask for passwords, account numbers or other sensitive data via email or SMS.
- If you see a social media account claiming to be the ATO or myGov, look for the official logo and profile verification, such as Facebook and Instagram's blue tick or the grey tick on X.
- The ATO will never discuss your personal ATO account on any social media platform, including private messages. If this ever happens, block and report the account by taking a screenshot and sending it to reportscams@ato.gov.au
When in doubt about the validity of a message, you can verify its legitimacy by contacting the ATO on 1-800-008-540 or visiting the verify or report scam page on the ATO's official website.
