03/10/2018
Pender Accounting Group are a registered tax agent and we take our business seriously.
The Australian Taxation Office have been receiving and increasing number of reports of a new scam method. If you have received one of these calls please contact our office or the ATO immediately.
ATO warns of scammers impersonating tax agents
The ATO warns taxpayers to be aware of a phone scam intimidating people into paying fake tax debts. It is a new approach where the scammers impersonate registered tax agents. Therefore, gaining their trust and access to their details.
Recently the ATO have received an alarming number of reports advising of calls received from scammers. The ATO have since identified that scammers coerce the victim into revealing their agent’s name or initiate a three-way conversation between the scammer, the victim and another scammer impersonating the victim’s registered agent.
In a recent case, a victim withdrew thousands of dollars in cash and deposited it into a Bitcoin ATM, fearing police had a warrant out for his arrest.
The ATO says taxpayers can verify suspicious phone calls by calling 1800 008 540.
No business will request payments via Bitcoin, iTunes vouchers, store gift cards or Western Union.
If you are unsure, take the details of the call and the caller and hang up. Contact Pender Accounting Group on 07 3050 7142 or the ATO on 1800 008 540 and confirm with them the legitimacy of the call.
This also serves as a reminder for any calls your receive from banking institutions, communication companies i.e Telstra, charities, power suppliers, etc. If you are unsure hang up the phone.