Scams cost Australian consumers, businesses, and the economy hundreds of millions of dollars each year and cause serious emotional harm to victims and their families.
In 2021 Australians made more than 286,600 reports to Scamwatch and reported losses of around $324 million. By the end of August this year, Australians had lost even more with reported losses of over $381 million.
As alarming as these numbers are, we know that around one third of people who are scammed never tell anyone, so the true numbers are probably much higher.
Scammers go to great lengths to look like trusted organisations when they contact you, which can make it tricky to identify real from fake.
But there are always a few details that can give away a scam.
Here’s a few things the ATO will never do:
- click on links in a text message or email
- pay us money to help you
- provide personal details on social media, email or text message.
If you’re not sure if something is genuine, phone the ATO to check.
Knowing these warning signs could save you from getting caught in a scam. The Scamwatch website is a helpful resource.
For information on how to verify or report a scam see the ATO’s website.
