Are you worried about the prevalence of scams

Wow - lucky bullet dodge .... scanners are being very good at "sending at the right time" - someone I know received a fraud email rego advice days before the real one arrived ... that's why I always use mygov or serviceNSW or whatever the official website is, rather than link clicking or believing posted paperwork .. touch wood not caught out yet

 

I have a solution to scams. Click this link for my app. Once I verify your ID you will be safe.

How did you receive the apparent notice of assessmnet ? MyGov cant send it to you. It would never be emailed and will never be in a link in any message type. Its easily checked. Warning - If it included the correct TFN and other personal details then someone may have compromised your email through one or more devices. Change email passwords and check devices. Someone may be monitoring your inbox (often for several years) and switched the doc with a fake for a genuine one sent by your tax agent for example. As tax agents we dont email such info. Its NOT ALLOWED. When we upload the docs it cant be modified and clinets must access it using their login.
1. Did it match a return you lodged..Were you expecting to pay $80K from the return lodged.....ummm no. I can bet it was as fake as a $3 note.
2. Create a MyGov ID for ID authentication and use it for MyGov then
3. Install the new MyGov app. All ATO docs can be confirmed and verified there. You will login using 2 factor authentication from #2 above.
If in doubt call the ATO or your tax agent. The ATO never sends threatening requests for money or makes up amounts you dont lodge. If a demand threatens it usually FAKE. The ATO also dont and will never request gift cards or crypto to pay tax. FAKE. The ATO will never threaten jail or siezing property. If that is true the Federal Police will wake you at 5:30am and execute a raid. This is what they do for criminals not unpaid tax.

If you cant understand how to setup security then turn off your phone and your computer and dont turn them on. YOU are the risk. Not the scammer.

In the past 48 hours my spotify was compromised and luckily only suspended from next month. So glad I dont have a spotify anyway. They work on the theory that if they send out 10,000 messages one in XXX will have a spotify account etc. And the theory is a low % of the ones who do think its real because it went to the right email address. Just because you are a taxpayer doest mean you owe tax.

 

Does anyone know if there is a site which lists the current scams going around?

 

This is alarming. Glad you didn’t fall for it.

 

Ai voice scams are starting to come thick and fast… makes the mum I lost my phone send me money scam look tame.

https://www.skynews.com.au/business...r/news-story/228e22da43b812497313dcb4fc1fe551

 

Unfortunately another scam story.

‘I was in despair’: how lending a phone led to life savings being stolen — Guardian Australia

 

Here is one to be careful of if you're moving money around.

 

Not a scam but it's bloody annoying when one of my debit cards is used for unauthorised transactions. Over $450 gone in four transactions. My fault really as I rarely use the particular card and forgot to place it on hold. Fortunately, it isn't linked (deliberately) to a sub-account with a six figure amount in it.

Until I get it sorted out I'll use the other debit card which I established just in case this sort of thing happened. At least with that one I removed the ability for it to be used for on-line transactions or overseas.

One of the curses of modern society I guess.

 

A scam is defined as being tricking people into handing over money or personal details. This situation was apparently due to a hack of data.

 

Sounds like all the funds will be returned and in a life that has it's fair share of stressors who needs this to happen..
There seems to be new scam where people ring and say they seen me on Facebook ect and want to reconnect as they know me from Facebook..
Problem is I'm not on any of those sites but they keep ringing.

 

That would be a concern when a person does that..
I'm yet to figure out what's the point of people trying to con people everyday as most just hang up straight away.
But I guess on a pure numbers game all you need is one person in every 100 calls and wacko.

 

I find it more of an irritation than anything else. The particular account never has more than $1k in it and I can still operate by moving funds from a sub-account and then transfer to another debit card I have. Provided the amount I transfer is less than $1k it is available immediately even on a weekend or public holiday. That other debit card is already blocked from on-line transactions and I can even remove it from contactless payment if I choose to do so.

I suspect what has happened is I used the card last year for my one and only Amazon transaction - an impetuous buy of more than $1k on a weekend. Although I deleted the card from Amazon after the transaction went through, it is likely Amazon still holds the card details. Of course that is only a guess and it may well have been a compromised EFTPOS transaction.

I don't have either of my debit card accounts on my phone as I see no need and I detest smartphones in any case. Plus I am extremely careless with phones like you wouldn't believe.

 

Big call centres overseas make a ton of money from it.

 

People who fear phones and technology will be scammed more than those who use technology and dont share information.
TRUST nobody
SHARE with nobody
Bank rings you tell them NOTHING. At. All.
ATO calls you. Tell. Them. Nothing.
Emails or text says you need to pay. Do you ? Possibly not
Threats are always scams. ATO does not threaten.

 

An alternative view is that some are not fearful of smartphones at all but use them when it is necessary and don't when it is not necessary. The definition of "necessary" is for each individual to determine.