Beware the ‘you owe the ATO’ scam…….
Madeline McDonald | 28th Jun 2016 (The Morning Bulletin)
Narelle got the scare of her life when she heard the phone message. WHEN Rockhampton resident Narelle checked her phone messages on Tuesday morning she was told that there was a warrant out for her arrest and that she owed $47,000 to the Australian Taxation Office.
The local 66-year-old is one of the latest Australians to fall victim to a tax-related phone scam where people are claiming to be from the ATO. According to the ATO website, scammers have been claiming people owe large amounts of money to the taxation department due to "fraudulent false tax information."
See top four most common scams below
Narelle, whose surname has been withheld, said she couldn't believe the message she received on her phone and is glad she realised it was a scam before she handed over any money.
"I rang the number back and the person I spoke to asked if I was aware I had intentionally fraudulently given false information to the taxation office from 2003 to 2013," she said.
"I was then told they had sent me a letter a few weeks ago and a reminder recently in the mail that I owed $47,000 to the taxation department and that I had to pay it into the Australian security commission."
Narelle was told police from her local police station would be on her doorstep if she didn't pay the money in a certain amount of time.
"He told me my bank accounts would be ceased and my pension would be closed and then asked me what bank I would be sending this money from," she said.
"That's when I clicked that this was a scam and I put the phone down and called the taxation office. I had done my tax through a registered tax agent and I only finished work last year so I knew my tax was up to date and the phone call wasn't right but it was still quite scary to go through.
"The ATO told me I was being scammed and to call the police which I did and they put me through to the scammers hotline who said they had received a lot of calls about this particular scam. It's very concerning to think what would happen if these people got onto someone in their 80s who have some money and are still doing their tax return and aren't computer literate, they could easily believe this."
According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's Targeting Scams Report, $85 million was reported lost as a result of scams to the ACCC's Scamwatch in 2015 with 105,200 complaints.
The ATO encourages anyone who thinks they have been scammed or to verify recent communication to call 1800 008 540.
TOP FOUR MOST COMMON SCAMS:
Foreign Lottery Scam
The foreign lottery scam is one of the most common types of email scams, in which you receive what looks like an official email from a foreign lottery corporation offering a congratulatory announcement, and may include the supposed amount of money you've "won."
PayPal or Online Credit Card/Banking Scam
At first, you will receive an email that appears to be from PayPal with a warning message such as, "Act now, or your account will be deactivated," or "Security breach on your account."
This can cause you to panic, open the email, click the link, and log in to your account.
Survey Scam
Unless you've specifically requested to be on a survey mailing list, what you're getting is nothing but spam. When you click on the link to take the survey, malicious spyware or malware is installed on your computer.
Once this occurs, cybercriminals can spy on every move you make on your computer, collecting passwords, bank account information, and more.
Mystery Shopper Scam
The secret shopper scam has several different variations. This common work-from-home scam attempts to suck you in with an email featuring a subject line promising you a large income, simply by working as a mystery shopper. You need no experience or education, and you can make up to $200 to $300 a day.
FRAUD FACTS:
What other scams are on the move in Australia?
Fraudsters pose as legitimate internet service providers to offer bogus tech support.
Scams offering fake gift cards or vouchers in return for disclosing credit card and other personal information.
Individuals identifying themselves as DSS officers offering a government grant. The callers seek personal information including bank details, passport and licence numbers.
Scammers impersonate genuine charities and ask for donations.
This story has been brought to you by the Emerald Chamber of Commerce Inc.
(Ph: 07 4982 3444)
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