ANZ is reminding customers vigilance is key to securing your finances against scammers as we enter tax time and people look to finalise their tax returns.
Common scams during the end of financial year include Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and myGov impersonation scams, payment redirection scams, fake charity scams and business email compromise (BEC) scams.
ANZ Senior Manager, Customer Protection Jess Bottega said: “At this time of year, we’re sharing more of our personal and financial information online than we might normally, which makes it the perfect environment for scammers.”
“As people turn their attention to filing their tax returns, we commonly see scammers impersonating tax officials with the intent of gaining access to bank details, tax file numbers or other personal information.
“According to the ATO, emails directing people to fake myGov websites were the most reported scam. In the six months to March 2024, approximately 75 per cent of all email scams reported to the ATO linked to a fake myGov sign in page,” she said.
Tips to avoid scams during tax time:
- Seek confirmation if you receive a request to change payment information by third parties. Always confirm by contacting the third party directly using contact information that you know is genuine, and not contained within the suspicious email in question.
- Turn on multi-factor authentication for all essential services such as email, bank, social media accounts and any databases holding your customer information.
- Avoid clicking links in emails or popups, instead access websites directly through your web browser.
ANZ’s customer protection teams and systems operate 24/7. Customers who believe they may have been a victim of a scam should contact us immediately, on 13 33 50 or visit us at https://www.anz.com.au/security/report-fraud/
