What does a tax scam look like?
You may receive a phone call, text message or e-mail claiming to be from a government agency, such as the ATO, Centrelink or MyGov.
The scammer will use tactics such as claiming you have an outstanding tax debt, a suspended TFN, or a compromised account and demand the issue be resolved.
To create a sense of urgency and panic, the scammer will often pressure you to act quickly, threatening hefty fines or even imprisonment if you do not act immediately.
The scammer may demand you pay via bank transfer, cryptocurrency, or gift card purchases. Alternatively, they might encourage you to click a link to provide your personal information, sometimes claiming that you need to “update your account details” or “reset your password”.
Protect yourself
Hang up.
Agencies such as the ATO typically will not call you on the phone and demand immediate payment.
Delete messages and e-mails demanding payment or personal information or asking you to click a link.
Do not respond or click any links these messages may contain.
Do not provide any personal information.
Verify the call
Is the message or phone call you received legitimate? If you’re not sure, it’s worth finding out. Otherwise, you risk ignoring a real problem.
Never respond directly to a phone number or e-mail provided in a suspicious message – otherwise, you may just be calling a potential scammer straight back.
Always verify contact details independently, by visiting the agency or organisation's official website to confirm their phone number.
What to do next?
Contact us as soon as possible if you are concerned you may have disclosed your banking information to a scammer.
Verify or report a scam to the Australian Taxation Office (ato.gov.au). This page also contains precise information about how the ATO will legitimately contact you, as well as other information to help you identify scams.
Learn more about scams, fraud and cybersecurity and keep up to date with the following government resources via Scamwatch (scamwatch.gov.au) and the Australian Cyber Security Centre (cyber.gov.au).
Talk about it! Raise awareness of scams with your friends and family, mainly if you think they may be vulnerable. You might just save them from becoming another victim.
Keep up-to-date with the latest blogs from GMCU.
Goulburn Murray Credit Union Co-Operative Ltd (GMCU) has announced the appointment of Richard O'Nians as Chief Executive Officer at its Annual General Meeting held last night. Chair of GMCU, Eugenie Stragalinos, welcomed Mr O’Nians in her Chair’s address, noting his deep connections to regional Victoria and extensive experience in financial services.
The Annual General Meeting of Goulburn Murray Credit Union Co-Operative Limited (GMCU) will be held on 27 November 2024. Join us in person at the Museum of Vehicle Evolution in Shepparton or virtually.
Welcome to our refreshed GMCU website. Our new and improved website experience is easy to navigate, making it simple to understand and manage your banking, loans and insurance with us.
Our Internet Banking has a new look! The GMCU Internet Banking platform has been upgraded - giving our members a modern, intuitive, and easy-to-navigate online banking experience.
Buying a new home is exciting, but to make sure you are making the best decision, you need to be sensible and do your homework ahead of putting in your offer.
We’re here to make life better for our members and communities by focusing on what’s possible with member-owned banking solutions. At Goulburn Murray Credit Union, we’re here to improve the communities we live and work in by investing profits to help them grow, thrive and succeed.
Banking, loans, insurance and more - get in touch with us.
