The Australian Taxation Office has issued a warning regarding a rise in tax-related scams.
The ATO has identified 595 websites impersonating its online hub, which it says are designed to steal passwords, information, passports and driver licences. Similar operations are occurring via email.
“Right now, we’re seeing a lot of SMS and email scams leading to fake myGov sign-in pages – we’ve had more than 360 of these scams reported since April 2022,” said Assistant Commissioner Tim Loh.
“However, we see many different types of tax and super scams happening year-round, not just in the lead up to tax time.
“We want Gen Z and Millennials to know they need to watch out too, as they are just as susceptible to falling for scams, especially those that involve fake tax debts or threats about alleged fraud.
The ATO reports that, in 2021, people aged 25 to 34 reported the most amount of money lost to tax scams, followed by 18-24.
“While you may only focus on your tax when it’s time to lodge, scammers are constantly looking for ways to steal your personal details and financial information, “ Loh said.
“We see different types of tax and super scams happening year-round.”
