Latest News

Hot Issues
spacer
Small businesses may ‘collapse under strain of payday super’, IPA warns
spacer
ATO’s hands tied with scrapping on-hold debts, expert says
spacer
What Drives Your Business Growth and Profits?
spacer
Australian Taxation Office (ATO) shifting to firmer debt collection activity
spacer
Why employee v contractor comes down to fine print
spacer
Sharing economy reporting regime for platform operators
spacer
Countries producing the most solar power by gigawatt hours
spacer
Illegal access nets $637 million
spacer
Accessing superannuation benefits.
spacer
Does your business have a company Power of Attorney?
spacer
Labor tweaks stage 3 tax cuts to make room for ‘middle Australia’
spacer
GrantConnect
spacer
2 in 3 SMEs benefit from instant asset write-off, survey reveals
spacer
Updated guidance on R&D claims
spacer
Do you know how to recover debts?
spacer
Wheat Production by Country
spacer
Types of small business benchmarks
spacer
What is a Commercial Lease?
spacer
ATO warns advisers against suspect R&D tax claims
spacer
The year of workplace law upheaval
spacer
How to Resolve Invoice Payment Disputes
spacer
Raft of revenue tweaks in MYEFO to raise millions
spacer
The Countries that Export the Most Wine in the World
Article archive
spacer
Quarter 4 October - December 2023
spacer
Quarter 3 July - September 2023
spacer
Quarter 2 April - June 2023
spacer
Quarter 1 January - March 2023
spacer
Quarter 4 October - December 2022
spacer
Quarter 3 July - September 2022
spacer
Quarter 2 April - June 2022
spacer
Quarter 1 January - March 2022
spacer
Quarter 4 October - December 2021
spacer
Quarter 3 July - September 2021
spacer
Quarter 2 April - June 2021
spacer
Quarter 1 January - March 2021
spacer
Quarter 4 October - December 2020
spacer
Quarter 3 July - September 2020
spacer
Quarter 2 April - June 2020
spacer
Quarter 1 January - March 2020
spacer
Quarter 4 October - December 2019
spacer
Quarter 3 July - September 2019
spacer
Quarter 2 April - June 2019
spacer
Quarter 1 January - March 2019
spacer
Quarter 4 October - December 2018
spacer
Quarter 3 July - September 2018
spacer
Quarter 2 April - June 2018
spacer
Quarter 1 January - March 2018
spacer
Quarter 4 October - December 2017
spacer
Quarter 3 July - September 2017
spacer
Quarter 2 April - June 2017
spacer
Quarter 1 January - March 2017
spacer
Quarter 4 October - December 2016
spacer
Quarter 3 July - September 2016
spacer
Quarter 2 April - June 2016
spacer
Quarter 1 January - March 2016
spacer
Quarter 4 October - December 2015
spacer
Quarter 3 July - September 2015
spacer
Quarter 2 April - June 2015
spacer
Quarter 1 January - March 2015
spacer
Quarter 4 October - December 2014
Quarter 1 of, 2019 archive
spacer
Resources to help understand and implement Single Touch Payroll (STP)
spacer
Big fines, prison on the cards as new SG penalties introduced
spacer
Extra website resources and tools is one way we offer you and your family more.
spacer
FBT Exemption for Various Work Vehicles
spacer
Tax payable on expenditure recoupments
spacer
ATO identifies SMSF contravention red flags
spacer
Who wins dispute about taxable income?
spacer
Australia - facts & figures March 2019
spacer
Strategies to handle scam phone calls and problem e-mails.
spacer
Instant asset write-off threshold upped to $25k
spacer
Jail time for GST fraud
spacer
Correcting GST Errors
spacer
Fuel tax credit rates raised
spacer
ATO set to contact clients for overdue TPAR
spacer
Reminder on Victoria Property Duties
spacer
How Australia is performing.
spacer
Global outlook summary: Down but not out
spacer
Bookkeepers remind on incoming TPRS obligations
spacer
Golden Rules for Deductions
spacer
How's Australia going - vital statistics?
spacer
Tax, SMEs set to be ‘political football’ in 2019 as election nears
spacer
Cap lifted on popular financing option for clients
spacer
Expiry of 900,000 interest-only loans set for January
spacer
Australian Taxation Office (ATO) Scam Alert: Fake Demands for Tax Payments
Strategies to handle scam phone calls and problem e-mails.

       

 

Many people have received telephone calls, recorded messages and e-mails from scammers claiming to be from organisations such as the ATO, Australia Post and Telstra saying money is owed, asking for personal information or access to their computer. One recorded message supposedly from the ATO informs you ‘you have committed tax fraud and a warrant is out for your arrest’! Another very popular scam is to say that there is a problem with your internet or a security flaw in your computer’s firewall or similar.

Why do scammers succeed?

Unfortunately, the main reason is the person receiving the call or e-mail.  Scammers are trained in looking for signs of hesitancy or weakness and when they sense this they are merciless.  The real problem is that the scammers know well the topics that will attract or scare people into action: monies owed, a big win, a technical issue, or to help someone. 

Scammers are paid based on their success and they are highly trained in keeping people engaged and on the line. 

Phone calls.

You need to be strong if you’re to avoid being caught out and the simplest way to do this is ask who they work for, what is their phone number, say you’re not interested and hang up. Or, call them out and say they are ‘a scam call’, then they often hang up on you.  Phone scammers are inventive and some are ‘Phone spoofing’, this is when someone disguises the number they are calling or texting from by changing their caller ID. They hijack or imitate phone numbers, either to imitate a person, business or department to get money or information. They often choose interstate numbers so you do not immediately know you are answering an overseas call centre or potential scam call.

The best strategy though, is not to let them talk for more than a few seconds, and hang up. Hang up too soon or and they will keep ringing you back!

Major organisations will never ring up and ask for access to your computer or threaten that a warrant is out for your arrest. If a demand is made that relates to the ATO then call your accountant to make sure if ATO debts are owed and when.

E-mail scams & viruses

Common scam emails currently doing the rounds are invoices from companies that either do not exist or scam emails from organisations like ‘Australia Post’ (you have a package being delivered) or ‘ASIC’ (you have a tax debt).  We may suspect they are fraudulent but too many of us still respond.

The compulsion to open that invoice or attachment is strong.  Remember, everyone's e-mail address may be on scammers' lists so you will be exposed. 

A second, and dangerous risk, from such e-mails is that they can have infected attachments and links that can do real damage to you, your computer, your business’s computer network and your files.  Ransom ware is still out there.

Three things that help with scam, spam and malicious e-mails.

  1. Simply delete them but some businesses and corporations use e-mail to save costs for statements and invoices and other information, so you have to be vigilant not to delete these by mistake. 
     
  2. This is your best defence and relates to the sender’s e-mail address.  It is NOT possible for a scammer to use the exact same domain name as, say, the ATO or AFP.  HOWEVER, they are getting very close.  When you receive an e-mail, ALWAYS check the URL address it came from before reading or clicking - specifically the part after the @ sign. You will notice that many after the @ sign are simply ridiculous, but you will also receive some that have the supposed sender in the address, for example @ato.zzz.net.au.  Always remember that the ATO bit is part of the zzz.net.au domain (the spammer) and NOT the ATO's domain.  If in doubt contact the business or organisation by phone or a known email address to confirm email content.
     
  3. The Subject line.  There is a field of marketing that focuses on how to get people to react to a Subject line.  So, reacting quickly to a subject line about a fine from the ATO is exactly what the scammer is hoping for.  A subject line like this can make you click on part of the content or attachment before you think of reading or checking the sender’s address.

 

Peter Graham
AcctWeb, an ISP and domain hosting company for over 20 years.

Liability limited by a Scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.
© O'Brien and Partners 2022 - All Rights Reserved | 91 Station Street, Malvern VIC 3144 | Tel: 03 9509 3911 | Fax: 03 9509 3922. Site by Acctweb