The Australian Tax Office (ATO) has warned there’s a new scam on the loose and it’s wrecking havoc on people’s computers.
The tax authority says the email scam is disguised as a Tax Refund Notification and aims to trick taxpayers into handing over their bank details by clicking a dodgy link.
“Scammers are sending fake ATO emails asking completion of a ‘tax refund review’ form to receive a refund,” the ATO wrote on its website.
“The form asks for online banking credentials, credit card numbers and limits, and personal address information.”
The ATO is advising clients to not click on the link in the email nor save the attachment as it may “download malicious malware onto your computer”.
“Do not disclose the personal information the form is requesting,” they added.
New South Wales police also warned social media users to beware of the scam, with a message on its Facebook page telling people to “delete straight away” if they see the email in their inbox.
The dodgy email isn’t the only ATO scam currently making the rounds. Crafty scammers claiming to be from the ATO are leaving voicemail messages on phones, threatening recipients with arrest if they don’t call back and correct a tax issue.
The ATO issued a recording of the voicemail so people know to be on alert for the fake message.
“This call is just to inform you that there has been a lawsuit filed against your name concerning a tax evasion and this case is about to get registered in the Commonwealth Courthouse of your territory,” the scammers say in the call. “So before the things go wrong against you or before the police officer from the local police department will approach you and issue a warrant for your arrest, kindly give us a call back on 0283173564. I repeat my telephone number again which is 0283173564. Again this is Jason O’Connor from the Australian Taxation Office. Thank you and you have a wonderful day.”
The ATO is warning recipients to “not return the call” if they receive a voicemail like this.
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