Advertisement

Did the ATO send you a ‘Payment Update’ email? It's not real

(Source: Getty, MailGuard)
(Source: Getty, MailGuard)

When tax season first began, Yahoo Finance rounded up the top tax scams that was doing the rounds – but it seems cyber criminals have been busy.

Email security software firm MailGuard has warned Aussies about a new phishing email, first discovered on 16 September, that looks eerily like it’s from the Australian Taxation Office.

“Each of the emails contain a unique sending address per email. However, all of them use the same display name, ‘ATO’,” MailGuard said in a post on its website.

“The recipient’s email address is visible in the ‘TO header’ at the top of the email, as well as in the bottom of the email in the ‘unsubscribe’ line.”

The body of the email, while short, directs the recipient to click on a link to see more “information on your TAX records update”.

(Source: MailGuard)
(Source: MailGuard)

Recipients who click the link are then led to an identity verification page, with Microsoft branding, which asks for their email address.

(Source: MailGuard)
(Source: MailGuard)

After entering their email address, users are led to a second page that asks for their password, which then takes users to what looks like a PDF.

(Source: MailGuard)
(Source: MailGuard)
(Source: MailGuard)
(Source: MailGuard)

“This scam has been designed to harvest unsuspecting recipients’ ATO login details. MailGuard urges all recipients of this email not to open any attachments or click on any links.”

Users are advised not to click emails from untrusted senders, open unexpected attachments, and to check who is sending email communication.

Any text or email scams should be forwarded to the ATO at ReportEmailFraud@ato.gov.au and then deleted immediately.

For more information on how to verify or report an ATO scam, visit the ATO website.

The Yahoo Finance All Markets Summit is on the 26th of September 2019 at the Shangri-La, Sydney. Check out the full line-up of speakers and agenda for this groundbreaking event here.

The Yahoo Finance All Markets Summit is on the 26th of September 2019 at the Shangri-La, Sydney.
The Yahoo Finance All Markets Summit is on the 26th of September 2019 at the Shangri-La, Sydney.