ato

 
 
Show download pdf controls
Show print controls

  • Scam data

    Find the latest data on ATO impersonation scams.

    On this page

    Latest scam data

    In February 2023, we received 3,384 reports of ATO impersonation scams.

    People reported losing $13,928 to scammers. This is a significant increase from the previous month and a slight decrease from February 2022. The most common method of scam payment was bank transfer. Find out how to protect your personal information, and verify or report a scam.

    Monthly comparison

    Table 1: Monthly comparison of reported ATO impersonation scams

     Date

    SMS

    Email

    Phone

    Social

    Feb 23

    2,526

    696

    96

    65

    Jan 23

    1,409

    1,112

    76

    316

    Nov 22

    370

    1,007

    69

    22

    Oct 22

    393

    1,191

    94

    32

    Sep 22

    548

    569

    151

    3

    Aug 22

    666

    828

    80

    5

    July 22

    321

    489

    197

    2

    Jun 22

    127

    460

    544

    2

    May 22

    244

    288

    414

    0

    Apr 22

    293

    342

    360

    1

    Mar 22

    64

    418

    479

    5

    Feb 22

    244

    1,072

    496

    3

    The Social category includes scams that occur through platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and WhatsApp.

    Payment methods

    Table 2: ATO impersonation scammer payment methods, February 2023

    Payment method

    Bank transfer

    Amount paid

    $13,928

    People paid

    4

    For legitimate ways to pay your tax debt, see How to pay.

    Last modified: 10 Mar 2023QC 56423