Busted! Scam myths

We’re serving up the truth about some common scam myths that you might have heard, especially around tax time.

Myth 1: Only older people get scammed

• Busted! Last year people aged 25 to 34 lost the most to tax scams, followed by those aged 18 to 24. Tax scams target everyone. If you get a phone call from the ATO and it doesn’t sound right, hang up and phone us to double-check.

Myth 2: Scams are easy to spot

• No, they’re not! Scams aren’t always full of typos and bad grammar. Tech advancements mean scams, including tax and super scams, are hard to identify. Whenever you get an SMS or email, stop and think before you click a link.

Myth 3: Tax scams only happen at tax time

• Wrong. While you might be focused on getting ready to lodge your tax return, scammers work hard all year round. We see different types of tax and super scams throughout the year.

Be a ‘scambassador’ and talk to your colleagues about tax and super scams you’ve heard about. Sharing this information could help them the next time they get a suspicious phone call or email.

Source: ATO