Scam season is here
Fraudsters are out in force, using bully tactics on unwary taxpayers, writes Anthony Keane
TAX scammers are increasing their attacks by phone, text and email as they prey on people’s fear of getting in trouble with the Australian Taxation Office.
It’s hunting season for tax scams, and cybersecurity specialists are warning people to beware of the rising use of bully tactics scaring Australians into handing Tax File Numbers, banking details and other personal data to fraudsters.
The ATO, which last year received more than 81,000 scam reports, says it will never act in an abusive manner or threaten immediate arrest, and won’t request personal information via email, text messages or social media.
IT security company Sophos says people should never open any attachments or links on emails that claim to be from the ATO or other government agencies, and instead should phone them or go separately to their official website. Sophos general manager Ashley Wearne said targeting people at tax time, when the ATO was top of mind, was a “very efficient business model” for scammers.
“They’re not just coming through email – they’re coming through the phone, and the message is more direct and often threatening,” he said. Scammers often accused people of having years of unpaid taxes and they quoted official-sounding legislation.
Tim Bentley, a vice president at cybersecurity firm Proofpoint, said emails and websites were using “sophisticated social engineering techniques” to target Australians using false attachments and claiming missed payment deadlines to create a false sense of urgency. Phishing scams – aimed at stealing people’s personal information – used ATO logos and other branding on their fake pages, he said.
Norton security specialist Mark Gorrie said the ATO would never ask for your Tax File Number or bank details via email or SMS.
“If you receive a phone call from someone claiming to be from the ATO, take down their information and call the ATO’s office to validate their identity and their request,” he said.
You can check your tax information on the my.gov.au website, and the ATO outlines details of recent tax scams at ato.gov.au/scamalerts