Scam awareness at tax time
Tax Time 2025 has brought an increase in scam activity targeting individuals and businesses. The ATO prepared for this through its 'stop, check, protect' campaign, which ran during June 2025 and reached nearly 20 million views, helping Australians stay alert and informed. With email-based scams surging and malicious websites on the rise, reinforcing safe online behaviours is more important than ever.
The ATO, in partnership with the National Anti-Scam Centre, is delivering consistent messaging and new resources to support scam awareness and reporting. As we approach cyber security awareness month in October, further education and tools will be rolled out to help everyone stay scam smart.
Key scam insights 2024–25
- The total number of reports of ATO impersonation scams for 2024–25 financial year increased by 150% when compared to the previous financial year.
- 91% of scams were email-based, up from 57%.
- The total number of takedowns of malicious or phishing websites increased by 39% for 2024–25 compared to the previous financial year.
ATO app enhancements and MyID
To help detect and prevent fraudulent transactions and identity takeover in real time, the ATO has introduced new security features in the ATO app:
- ATO app messaging notifies users of high-risk transactions on their ATO record, improving visibility and enabling timely action.
- Lock ATO record function allows users to quickly secure their account if they notice suspicious activity or unauthorised changes.
A new feature in MyID launched in August, enables users to remove old devices directly within the app. Awareness of this feature has been raised through Tax Professional News and other channels.
Emerging threats
The cyber environment continues to evolve, with growing threats such as AI-generated deepfake scams, including cloned voices and video calls. As technology advances, so do the risks, making ongoing vigilance essential.
We remain committed to supporting the tax profession in strengthening cyber resilience.