Warning: ATO-related scams

Email scams reported


Recently, a number of clients have contacted Goodwin Chivas & Co after receiving an e-mail, apparently from the Australian Taxation Office, requesting personal details to either pay a refund or to assist in the updating of the ATO website.

In all cases, these e-mails were scams, using the ATO logo and an apparently reasonable and innocuous request for details to trick taxpayers into providing their tax file number, or credit card or bank account details.

And, in all cases, the e-mails were reasonably convincing, and appeared, on first look, to be entirely legitimate.

However, the ATO will never email you asking for personal or credit card details, and you should never provide this information to the ATO via e-mail. If you receive one of these emails, you should not click on any links and delete it immediately.

Further information on ATO-related scams can be found at their website.

And, if you are ever in receipt of an e-mail appearing to be from the ATO, or a phone call from someone claiming to be an ATO representative, you should contact your Goodwin Chivas & Co advisor on 02 9899 3044.