Yahoo Finance Warning: Don’t ever do your tax return on public WiFi. Here’s why
You’ve heard all about the tax return scams to watch out for this year, and so far you’ve steered clear of any suspicious calls or texts that purport to be from the Australian Taxation Office.
But there are other online dangers you need to be aware of: even though you think you’re sticking by the books, you could be engaging in risky behaviours without even knowing it.
And now that tax time has officially kicked off, Aussies are more at risk than usual of being targeted by cyber criminals, according to Norton LifeLock ANZ senior director and security expert Mark Gorrie.
“Tax time presents an enticing window of opportunity for cybercriminals with sensitive personal and business documents required for tax purposes being shared and stored across personal and business devices,” he said.
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Perhaps surprisingly, it’s the digital natives of Generation Z who are most at risk.
They’re the worst offenders, with roughly double the amount of Gen Z employees compared to working Australian respondents sharing their tax return via personal mobile network or sending personal financial information or documents via public WiFi.
So what’s the safest way to do your tax return?
What you should and shouldn’t do when filing your taxes online
1. Don’t use public WiFi
Speaking to Yahoo Finance, Gorrie said most people were unaware that everything you access while on public WiFi does, in fact, put your private information at risk.
“Hackers utilise common attack techniques such as digital eavesdropping, malicious hotspots and remote malware distribution to access consumers private data. This means that a network may appear safe and secure but in fact open you up to attack by hackers,” he warned.
Norton research reveals 1 in 10 workers have shared their tax return using public WiFi or hotspotting through a friend.
But that tax return includes sensitive personal information like your name, address, phone number, tax file number, banking details, and maybe even your health insurance details, Gorrie warned.
“That's enough for a cyber criminal to create 80 per cent of a profile on you and then target you with specific email phishing scams.”
2. Don’t auto-connect your WiFi
Your phone, like most other phones, probably ‘remember’ WiFi hotspots in order to more easily and quickly connect online and save data.
But Gorrie says auto-connect settings of WiFi and Bluetooth ought to be turned off for better self-protection – and don’t forget to disable file sharing.
3. Do pay attention to what network you’re using
Like the above, be careful about what network you’re actually connected to.
“Cyber criminals set up rogue hotspots with names that are close to that of the legitimate network you may be trying to connect to,” Gorrie cautioned.
4. Do use a VPN
A VPN, or a virtual private network, connects you more securely to another network over the internet, and shields your browsing activity from prying eyes over public WiFi (though this isn’t the only reason a VPN is used these days).
“A VPN will ensure all data transmitted during your online sessions is encrypted,” the security expert emphasised.
Good VPNs should be able to secure your private information whether you’re on a PC, Mac, or mobile device.
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5. Do keep it at home
If the information or data you need to access is sensitive, best to leave it for home and not on a public WiFi network.
6. Do log out
It’s the oldest rule in the book – but also one that’s easy to forget.
“Always log out of accounts when you are finished using them,” Gorrie advised.
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