While email scams claiming to be the from the ATO or ASIC are certainly not new, we have noticed a significant increase in recent weeks and unfortunately some of these have looked worryingly accurate.

How to identify an email scam:

1. Check the senders’ email address: You can see the email snippet below claims to come from “ASIC Messaging Service” but that the email address does not match. ASIC emails come from an email address ending in @asic.gov.au (this check should be applied to all emails you receive that ever ask for personal information or payment)

• Note a request for financial or payment details

• Note a request to pay a small fee or “administration cost” in order to receive a larger sum of money

What to do if you suspect a scam but are unsure:

1. For ATO related emails, call 1800 008 540 or visit https://www.ato.gov.au/General/Online-services/Identity-security/Scam-alerts/

• For ASIC related emails, call 1300 300 630 or visit https://asic.gov.au/online-services/service-availability/scams-targeting-asic-customers/

• If an email is from another service provider, contact them directly

Please note: that while both the ATO and ASIC know they are common targets for scam emails, neither of them accept the argument that actual official correspondence was mistaken for scams as an excuse for not paying or responding within the required timeframe.