ATO warns of new identify theft text scam targeting innocent Aussies

Aussies have been warned to keep an eye out for devious scammers as they change their tactics and develop new and creative ways to get their hands on taxpayers’ hard-earned money.

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) has urged Australians to be wary of a new scam doing the rounds, which targets people primarily through text message.

According to the government agency numerous reports have been made of scammers using what appeared to be an ATO number to send fraudulent SMS messages through a technique known as “spoofing”.

The cruel masterminds attempt to trick Aussies by asking them to click on a link and hand over their personal details in order to obtain a refund.

“This scam is not just targeting your money, but is after your personal information in an attempt to steal your identity,” Assistant Commissioner Karen Foat warned.

“Taxpayers should be wary of any phone call, text message, email or letter about a tax refund or debt, especially if you weren’t expecting it.”

While the ATO regularly contacts taxpayers by phone, email and SMS, Foat said there are some tell-tale signs that it isn’t the ATO.

For one the ATO will not send an email or SMS asking you to click on a link to provide login, personal or financial information, or to download a file or open an attachment.

Read more: Scam alert! Worrying new email scam targeting innocent Aussies

They would never use rude behaviour, or threaten you with arrest, jail or deportation and do not request a fee in order to release a refund owed to you.

On top of this, the ATO never requests payment of a debt via iTunes or Google Play cards, pre-paid Visa cards, cryptocurrency or direct credit to a personal bank account.

As the messages from the scammers can often seem quite convincing, Foat urged people to always check directly with the ATO by phoning 1800 008 540 to ensure it a legitimate SMS.

“The community plays an important role in stopping scammer activities by reporting them to our scam line,” she explained. “Your reports help us to get an accurate picture of what is happening with the current scams, which ultimately helps protect the Australian community.”

Thankfully, there are ways to better protect yourself from scammers and they are quite simple.

The ATO advises keeping check of your tax affairs by either logging on to myGov, or contacting your tax agent or the ATO. Aussies are also urged to be careful when clicking on links, downloading files or opening attachments and to always know the legitimate ways to make payments.

On top of this, it’s important to talk to family and friends about scams and if you are unsure whether a call, text message or email is genuine, don’t reply.

Have you received a suspicious email or message from the ATO? Have you ever fallen victim to a scam?