Scam warning: If in doubt, hang up

The ATO has released audio content for radio stations interested in covering an aggressive phone scam currently targeting a number of areas in Australia. The scam involves fraudsters attempting to intimidate people into paying a fake tax debt and threatening arrest if the debt is not paid immediately.

Source: AAP

The recording features Second Commissioner Geoff Leeper urging people to be alert to these types of scams and never to give money, financial details or personal identity information to someone they don’t know or trust.

Download audio recording If in doubt, hang up, spoken by Second Commissioner Geoff Leeper.

https://www.ato.gov.au/uploadedFiles/Content/CR/Media_centre/Video_and_audio_files/ato_phone_scams_geoff_leeper.mp3

The ATO is very concerned to hear of tax scams where people ring up vulnerable Australians and threaten them with legal and police action if they don’t immediately pay a debt.

These are not calls from the ATO.

If you have got a debt we would have written to you first. If we do ring you, our staff will identify themselves and let you know how you can call us back.

But if the person calling you is rude and aggressive, threatening police or legal action if you don’t do something immediately – it’s not the ATO.

If you’ve got any doubts, please hang up the phone and call us back on 1800 008 540 and we’ll sort the matter out.

Spoken by Second Commissioner Geoff Leeper.