Tax time may be over, but some scammers are just getting started. Stay vigilant and warn your friends, family and clients so they don’t get tricked into paying a fake debt.
Be aware of fake phone calls!
Be suspicious if someone contacts you demanding payment. Remember, ATO would never request the payment of a debt via prepaid gift cards, use aggressive behaviour, or threaten you with immediate arrest or deportation. These are typical scammer tactics!
From what we have witnessed, the threats being receiving from scammers are a mixture of the below:
“We are the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) or Australian Federal Police (AFP) and require immediate information (or) payment, otherwise we will initiate audit activity (or) litigation.”
These calls are in line with the ATO October scam alerts. If you receive a suspicious call, hang up immediately and phone ATO's scam hotline on 1800008540.