New study finds nearly 1 in 3 people fail to spot a tax scam

The study also showed that around one in four Australians have been exposed to a tax scam. As millions of people await their tax returns over the coming months, scammers will be keen to take advantage of the opportunity.

SMS phishing scammers are impersonating myGov and the Australian Tax Office (ATO) to “phish” personal information, including your bank card details. The link in the text message will take the recipient to a fake website, which may appear very real. There will be a place to enter their card details, which will unfortunately allow access to their money.

According to the National Anti-Scam Center (NASC), phishing was the most reported type of scam, followed by false billing scams and identity theft.²

James Roberts, Managing Director of CBA’s Fraud Group, said: “While it is encouraging to see that a majority of Australians were able to detect scams with confidence in testing, almost a third did not did not detect them all correctly. As a nation, we have made great strides in reducing the impact of scams, but we all need to remain vigilant and listen to the latest scam trends.

“Fraudsters are the most opportunistic criminals and will actively campaign to take advantage of tax season. Everyone should keep an eye out for text messages and emails impersonating myGov and the ATO. They may appear in a legitimate message thread from these organizations. The main red flag for this type of scam is the link, which differs significantly from the official myGov and ATO website addresses. If you are unsure, contact the organization on a verified phone number or through its official website or app, otherwise delete the text.