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Verify or report an ATO scam

What to do if you get an email, SMS or phone call from the ATO that you're not sure is real.

Last updated 23 March 2026

Verify a scam

Scammers aim to trick you into paying money or giving out your personal information, often by pretending to be from trusted organisations like the ATO.

While we may contact you by phone, email, SMS or post, if you are not sure whether it's really us, do not respond. Instead, call 1800 008 540 to check.

Learn more about:

You can see examples of ATO impersonation scams on our scam alerts page.

Information about scams and how to verify and report an ATO scam is also available in Easy Read format and other languages.

 

Email scams

Scammers may send emails claiming there is suspicious activity on your account, urging you to respond with personal details such as your TFN, bank information or login credentials. These messages often include hyperlinks, QR codes or attachments designed to steal your information or install malicious software.

Although the ATO may notify you of suspicious activity, we will never:

  • send unsolicited messages containing hyperlinks or QR codes
  • ask for personal identifying information via email.

If you receive an email claiming to be from the ATO, carefully check for these signs it might be a scam:

  • Suspicious sender addresses – Real ATO emails always come from addresses ending in “ato.gov.au”.
  • Requests for personal information – The ATO will never ask for your TFN, bank details or myGov login via email.
  • Spelling and formatting – Look for poor grammar, unusual formatting or logos that don’t match official ATO branding.

For more information, see Email scamsExternal Link on the ScamWatch website.

Text or SMS scams

Scammers may send text messages claiming to be from the ATO, often including hyperlinks that direct you to a fraudulent website.

Sometimes the scam messages can appear in the same message chain as authentic messages from the ATO, making them more difficult to identify.

The ATO will never:

  • send an unsolicited SMS that contains a hyperlink
  • ask for personal identifying information via SMS.

If you receive an SMS claiming to be from the ATO, carefully check for these signs it might be a scam:

  • Unexpected messages about refunds or debts you weren’t aware of.
  • Links in SMS asking you to log in or provide sensitive information.
  • Threats or urgency, such as “your account will be locked” or “legal action will be taken.”

For more information, see Text or SMS scamsExternal Link on the ScamWatch website.

Phone scams

Scammers may call pretending to be from the ATO, using fear and urgency to pressure you into paying money or sharing personal information.

They may threaten you with arrest, demand immediate payment, or insist you stay on the line to prevent you from speaking with a trusted advisor. Some may also:

  • send unsolicited pre-recorded voicemails (robocalls)
  • make fake conference calls with impersonated tax professionals or law enforcement
  • impersonate legitimate-looking caller IDs, including real ATO or Australian numbers.

The ATO will never:

  • threaten you with arrest or demand you stay on the line
  • send unsolicited robocalls
  • ask for payment via gift cards, crypto, cash delivery or personal/offshore accounts
  • threaten to cancel your TFN
  • prevent you from speaking with your tax agent
  • ask you to pay a fee to receive your tax refund.

Phone calls from the ATO will show as No Caller ID.

Before calling the ATO, always verify you have the correct phone number.

To check your individual tax affairs you can also use ATO online services through myGovExternal Link or a registered tax agent.

For more information, see:

Social media scams

Scammers may create fake ATO accounts on social media platforms and send requests to you asking for personal information or payments. They may also reply to your comments, offering to provide support and ask you to message them privately.

The ATO does not engage with the community via private or direct message.

The ATO is active on FacebookExternal Link (Australian Taxation Office), InstagramExternal Link (@austaxoffice),  XExternal Link (@ato_gov_au) and  LinkedInExternal Link. However, we will never ask for personal details, documents or payments through social media.

Always check for:

  • a verified indicator on our profile
  • the official ATO branding
  • the follower count
  • any typos or unusual language.

For more information, see Social media scamsExternal Link on the ScamWatch website.

How to protect yourself

To help protect yourself from scams:

  • Never share personal details unless you trust the person you are dealing with, and they genuinely require these details.
  • Never share your myGov sign in details with anyone, including your registered tax agent.
  • Avoid clicking links or downloading attachments from unexpected messages.
  • Delete suspicious messages after reporting them.
  • Do not interact with the scammer’s messages or social media accounts.
  • Remember to protect your passwords and update them regularly.

For more tips, see:

Report a scam

If you have come across an ATO impersonation scam, it’s important to report it, even if you didn’t respond or lose money.

If you paid money or shared sensitive information

If you paid money or provided sensitive personal identifying information to the scammer, call the ATO immediately on 1800 008 540 to report it.

You should also:

  • Make an official report to your local police.
  • Contact your bank or financial institution if you provided your credit card or bank details to the scammer.
  • Contact the bank you made the payment to and lodge a fraud report.
  • If you have been the victim of cybercrime, you can report it to the Australian Cyber Security CentreExternal Link.

If you did not pay money or share sensitive information

If you did not pay money or provide sensitive personal identifying information to the scammer, you should still report the scam to us:

Report a scam form

You can also report other types of scams to  ScamWatchExternal Link or myGov scamsExternal Link.

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