Yahoo Finance Fake myGov emails are again luring Aussies to fill in ‘tax refund applications’
myGov scams recirculate again during tax time
Update: 9 August 2019
Stay Smart Online is warning Aussies about a rise in myGov tax scams fooling taxpayers to handing over their personal or banking details to claim fake ‘refunds’.
“These scams can come through as emails, text messages and fake myGov login pages. Usually these scams will say you’re entitled to a tax refund or that you need to pay a debt,” Stay Smart Online said in an alert.
The scams are made to look legitimate through the use of myGov and Australian Taxation Office (ATO) logos, information, and even email addresses, it warned.
In June, the ATO received nearly 6,500 tax-related scams impersonating the ATO. Emails with links to fake myGov pages came in as the top offender that month.
ATO raised the alarm on the same scam, which began circulating earlier this year.
28 March 2019
The Australian Tax Office (ATO) is warning against scammers who are sending Australian taxpayers emails pretending to be from myGov.
The email, complete with a myGov logo, asks the recipient to fill out an application form for a fake tax refund with the aim of stealing their personal information.
“Do not click anywhere in the email as it contains a malicious link and will direct you to a fake ‘Tax Refund’ form,” the ATO warned.
“This scam email misleadingly includes the myGov logo, asks you to click a link that appears to be the myGov website but when hovering over the link it does not lead to a my.gov.au address.”
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But there are warning signs you should be able to spot immediately – the scam email is not addressed to the recipient by name, is written in poor grammar, and is too early for the typical tax return lodgement period (1 July to 31 October).
“The ATO does not have an online tax refund form. All online management of your tax affairs should be carried out via your genuine myGov account,” said the ATO.
You can make your myGov account access more secure by updating your sign-in options at my.gov.au to always receive an SMS code when signing in.
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