Scammers are leaving people voicemail messages threatening the recipients with arrest due to an unknown tax debt or suspected tax evasion.
The scammers claim to be from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and many threaten that a warrant for the person's arrest will be issued if they do not call the scammer back on the phone number provided.
In this audio segment, we have an advice from ATO on how to identify scammers claiming to be from the ATO, and what to do next.
If you receive a voicemail, do not return the call.
Jagjit Singh, Community Relations Officer, ATO Source: Supplied
If you are unsure if a phone call or voicemail is from the ATO, call 1800 008 540.
ATO never asks to pay a tax debt using unusual payment methods like gift cards, Bitcoin, or pre-paid visa cards.
General tax information is available in various languages at ato.gov.au/otherlanguages, or you can speak with a tax officer in your native language by phoning the Translating and Interpreting Service on 13 14 50 and ask to be connected to 13 28 26
