ATO warns business owners about new JobKeeper scam

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is warning business owners about the latest JobKeeper email scam to do the rounds, reminding SMEs to be wary of requests for their personal information.

This JobKeeper email scam involves a fake email that appears to come from the ATO, informing the recipients that the tax office is “checking all claims made through the Coronavirus JobKeeper Payments/Backing Business Incentive Scheme”. 

The email asks business owners to reply to the email with “clear, high resolution” photos of the front and back of both their driver’s license and Medicare card.

An example of the fake email. Source: ATO.

“Don’t provide the information requested, and delete the email straight away,” the ATO advises. 

“If you receive a message from the ATO asking for your personal information, phone us on 1800 008 540 to make sure it’s legitimate.

“You should never give out your personal information unless you’re sure of who you are dealing with.”

This is not the first time scammers have attempted to dupe business owners who are applying for or receiving JobKeeper payments. 

Back in May, the ATO warned businesses about a phone scam that involved individuals pretending to be from their organisation and asking for bank details so they could process the wage subsidy payments. 

The ATO recommends reporting any emails that appear to be fraudulent to reportemailfraud@ato.gov.au.

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