Australia ATO Scams and Identity Protection Guide

the ATO scams and the identity protection for the Australian taxpayers. The guide covers: the ATO impersonation scams (the "the fake ATO calls, the emails and the SMS") — the most common ATO scams include: (a) the "ATO impersonation calls" (the "the scammer claims to be from the ATO and demands the immediate payment of the tax debt, the threatens the arrest or the legal action, the requests the payment through the gift cards, the iTunes cards, the cryptocurrency or the wire transfer"), (b) the "phishing emails" (the "the fake emails that appear to be from the ATO or the myGov — the email asks to click the link and enter the login credentials, the bank details or the personal information"), (c) the "smishing (the SMS phishing)" (the "the fake SMS messages claiming to be from the ATO with the link to the fake myGov login page or the fake ATO payment portal"); the ATO will NEVER: (a) "demand the immediate payment through the gift cards, the iTunes cards, the cryptocurrency or the wire transfer", (b) "send the email with the link to the login page", (c) "threaten the arrest, the deportation or the suspension of the driver's licence", (d) "request the payment to the personal bank account", (e) "ask for the TFN or the bank details over the text or the email"; the myGov and the myGovID security (the "protecting the government accounts") — the myGov account must be protected with the "strong and unique password" (the "the password that is not used for the other accounts") and the "two-factor authentication (the 2FA)" (the "the SMS code or the authenticator app"); the myGov account is the "gateway to the ATO, the Medicare, the Centrelink, the NDIS and the other government services" — the compromised myGov account can lead to the "identity theft", the "fraudulent tax returns" and the "benefit fraud"; the "myGovID" (the "the Digital Identity") is the "higher level of security" and the "2-factor authentication"; the myGovID must be protected with the "biometrics" (the "the face or the fingerprint") and the "device lock".

Recognising and the Avoiding the ATO Scams

SMS and the email red flags: The "red flags" for the scam SMS and the emails: (a) the "urgent language" (the "the immediate action required, the your tax refund is on hold, the your myGov account has been suspended"), (b) the "spoofed sender" (the "the sender appears as the ATO or the myGov but the email address or the phone number is the fake"), (c) the "incorrect grammar and the spelling", (d) the "link to the unrecognised website" (the "the hover over the link before clicking to check the destination"), (e) the "request for the personal information via the link".
Phone call red flags: The "red flags" for the scam phone calls: (a) the "caller ID shows the ATO phone number (the "spoofed" number — the scammer uses the "caller ID spoofing" to show the genuine ATO number"), (b) the "threats of the immediate arrest, the court action, the deportation or the disconnection of the electricity", (c) the "demand for the payment through the unusual methods" (the "the gift cards, the cryptocurrency, the wire transfer, the pre-paid debit cards"), (d) the "aggressive and the insistent tone".
Tax return scams: The "fake tax return" scams include: (a) the "tax refund phishing" — the "SMS or the email claiming that the tax refund is available and the link leads to the fake ATO login page", (b) the "tax agent impersonation" — the "scammer posing as the registered tax agent to offer the fake refund", (c) the "identity theft through the fake tax return" — the "scammer uses the stolen TFN and the personal details to lodge the fraudulent tax return and the claim the refund".

For the ATO data matching and the compliance letters, see our Data Matching and ATO Letters Guide →.

Reporting the Scams and the Identity Theft

Reporting to the ATO: The "suspected scams" should be reported to the ATO through: (a) the "ATO scam reporting page" (the "ato.gov.au/scams" — the "report the scam online"), (b) the "ATO phone number" (the "1800 008 540" for the "scam reporting"), (c) the "forwarding the scam email" (the "forward the email to the reporting@ato.gov.au"), (d) the "forwarding the scam SMS" (the "forward the text to the 0428 619 125" or the "report through the ACCC Scamwatch"). The "ATO response" — the "ATO will investigate the scam and the alert the public".
Reporting identity theft: The "identity theft" involving the "ATO records" (the "the fraudulent tax return, the unauthorised access to the myGov account") should be reported: (a) "contact the ATO immediately" (the "13 28 61" for the "individuals" and the "13 28 66" for the "businesses"), (b) "report to the myGov helpdesk" (the "13 23 07" — the "suspend the compromised myGov account"), (c) "contact the National Identity and Cyber Support Service (the IDCARE)" (the "1800 595 160" — the "free identity theft support"), (d) "report to the Australian Cyber Security Centre (the ACSC)" (the "cyber.gov.au" or the "1300 292 371").
Protecting the identity: The "identity protection steps" for the taxpayers: (a) "monitor the myGov account regularly" — the "check the ATO online services for the suspicious activity" (the "the profile changes, the lodgement history, the payment details"), (b) "set up the myGovID" — the "Digital Identity with the 2-factor authentication" is the "more secure than the myGov password alone", (c) "verify the TFN usage" — the "check the TFN declaration status" with the "employer or the super fund", (d) "use the annual credit report check" — the "obtain the free credit report from the "Equifax, the illion, the Experian" to the "check for the unauthorised accounts".

For the records keeping and the identity documents requirements, see our Records Keeping Guide →.

ATO Genuine Contact and the Verification

Genuine ATO contact methods: The "genuine ATO contact" will: (a) "send the letters through the myGov inbox" (the "the ATO online messages in the myGov account" — the "check the myGov inbox regularly"), (b) "call the taxpayer" but will NOT "demand the immediate payment through the gift cards" and will "provide the reference number for the verification", (c) "send the SMS" but will "not include the link to the login page" — the "SMS will refer to the myGov inbox or the ATO online services for the details".
Verifying the ATO contact: The "verification steps" when contacted by the "someone claiming to be from the ATO": (a) "ask for the ATO reference number and the caller details", (b) "call back the ATO" through the "official number" (the "13 28 61" for the "individuals" or the "13 28 66" for the "businesses"), (c) "use the ATO online services" through the "myGov — the ato.gov.au" to the "check the payment obligations and the notices", (d) "do NOT use the phone number provided by the caller".
ATO digital identity protection: The "ATO digital identity" (the "myGovID") is the "Australian government Digital Identity" used for the "ATO online services", the "myGov", the "Medicare", the "Centrelink" and the "other government services". The "security features": (a) the "biometric verification" (the "the face or the fingerprint"), (b) the "device registration" (the "the myGovID is linked to the specific device"), (c) the "2-factor authentication" (the "the password plus the verification code"), (d) the "identity strength levels" (the "the Basic, the Standard, the Strong") — the "Strong identity" requires the "passport and the driver's licence verification".

For the TFN security and the identity document requirements, see our TFN Guide →.