- Scam
- Spam
- Suspicious
- Uncertain
Beware of calls from 02 6152 8641, as it is a reported scam impersonating the Australian Tax Office. Learn about the nature of these calls and how to protect yourself from this fraudulent activity.
Understanding the Scam Behind 02 6152 8641
The phone number 02 6152 8641 / 0261528641 has been flagged repeatedly by users as a source of an alarming scam. Callers impersonating the Australian Tax Office (ATO) make threats of arrest due to alleged tax evasion, creating panic and urgency. More specifically, the scammers demand immediate payment for supposed tax debts, claiming that failure to comply will result in legal action.
What Users Are Experiencing
Reports indicate that multiple users received similar calls from individuals with foreign accents, often of Indian origin, posing as ATO officers. Common tactics employed include:
- Threats of arrest if payments are not made.
- Claims of ongoing audits or legal actions.
- Urgent calls insisting on immediate repayment into specified bank accounts.
Many reports shared that the callers exhibited a professional tone, creating an illusion of legitimacy, while resorting to aggressive tactics when questioned. It’s important to note that the ATO does not operate in this manner and always communicates important tax matters in writing.
Identifying the Scam
Victims noted symptoms typical of scam operations, including:
- Similar calling scripts among multiple callers.
- Requests for sensitive personal information or payment details.
- Refusal to answer clarifying questions.
One user recounted his experience, indicating how they almost fell victim to the scam by providing information out of fear of arrest - a common tactic aimed at susceptible persons. These fraudulent callers often harvest personal information available through social media or data breaches, making their stories sound more believable.
How to Handle Such Calls
Receiving a call from this number, or one with a similar intent, can be distressing. Here’s how to handle it:
- Do not engage with the caller and hang up immediately.
- Do not provide any personal or financial details.
- Report the incident to the ATO if you receive such a call.
- Consider contacting your local authorities to report the fraud.
Always remember, legitimate government agencies will never threaten you over the phone without prior written communication. If in doubt, perform a Reverse Phone Lookup with services like Reverseau to check the legitimacy of any suspicious phone number.
Final Thoughts
The prevalence of scam calls like those from 02 6152 8641 / 0261528641 highlights the need for vigilance against fraud. Sharing your experiences can aid others in recognising and avoiding such malicious attempts. Stay informed, and together we can work to combat these nuisances plaguing our phone lines.
Help others by sharing your experience with (02) 6152 8641!
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What Our Users Reviewed
Got a call this morning from a lady with an Indian accent who told me that the Federal Govt had overtaxed me to the tune of nearly $8000 and would like details from me to send a cheque to me (asked me what banking institution I used, but no account number) They had my mailing address. Swore blind that it was a legitimate call and gave me the phone number of her manager - guess what number! I needed to call that number right away. An hour later I got a call back asking why I did not call. Told them outright that I thought it was a scam call as I had checked this number on Scam watch. Hung up on them after that.
Rang our company line which is on a no call list with threats from the ITO, which is apparently supposed to be ATO.
This low life rang my mother and nearly gave her a heart attack she is 84 and was hysterical from this low life's threats... I rang him and went off at him and told him I was tracing his call.. These idiots should be arrested!! How come he knew things about her and where are they getting their information and he knew my father had passed... Bottom feeders!!
I have had the same voice message twice now, scared the crap out of me!!! I called them back and they told me they were looking a for another person, which I have numerous people looking for this man.
Thank god its just a scam. I can breath easy now.
ATO, HAHAHA, Have a nice day!!! Hahahaha JASON!!
I had left the same voicemail on my phone. I was scared when I heard it. It was Friday evening and Saturday morning instead enjoying my weekend I was stressed about this phone call. I googled the number and found this website. Thanks good. You save me from hearts track probably.
I recieved this scam call myself. I worried about it for a while, but then I googled the number and found all of your supportive comments against this scammer. Thanks to all of you who posted, and to "Jason Oconnor", I hope he has (to quote him) a nice day, knowing he won't get any money from here.
Yes, same as everybody else. Second phone call that was clearly a recording in 6 months. Had another one in back in February. What really cracks me up is the end of the call "Have a nice day" in a really pleasant voice after leaving me shaking at the knees for tax evasion and my impending arrest. Too funny ... I saved the message for whenever I need a laugh! I DID report it to the ridgy didge ATO (after looking the number up myself of course!) the first time and the operator took the call very seriously. Too funny.
Same message left on answering machine, Jason O'Connor from the ATO. Blah, blah, blah. Foreign accent. Just ignore everyone, just another scam.
Scam pretending to be ATO. Awaiting my arrest by "the local police dept" for alleged tax evasion with interest.
Just put them on hold - forever!
ATO don't care, and neither do police.
I got a message left by this number too but I didn't call back. I call ato instead. Total scam! Everyone be aware!
More of the same, just got home and a message left on my answering machine.
Had a message left on my land line to call this number and that it was something to do with the police or my possible arrest.
Yes, I just got the same poor quality call from someone with a foreign accent tow days ago requesting me to to call back on that same number. When I did there was no dial tone. In reading all these other postings, seems clear its a scam.
Bruce.
As above! Reported to scamwatch.
Had 3 phone calls today at work from this number. We hung up once, he called back and abused me for hanging up. Asked for the owner but said she was busy, then called back again asking for her. Officer David someone. Said he is from the ATO.
As others above, I had a message from foreign accented 'Jason' somebody or other, supposedly from the ATO telling me to ring him on 02 6152 8641..... That there was a warrant issued for my arrest on tax evasion blah blah blah. It seemed highly unlikely so checked here first.
Just came home to a message on my answering machine stating there were outstanding warrants against me as per all the other messages. The question is what are they trying to scam? When you call the number back it goes nowhere!! TOTAL MORONS!!!
I also had a message left on answering machine from male with foreign accent stating exactly the same as previous people have mentioned. I called the 6152 8641 number which just had a long pause and unusual ring tone with no pick up. I thought it suspicious and called the ATO customer service # who informed me it was most likely a scam and filed a report on my behalf. They also mentioned that if the ATO were taking action against you then it would be put in writing certainly not detailed in a phone message. Scam.
Just had a message left on machine from 0261528641 claiming to be from the ATO and there were outstanding warrants out against me.
Total scam.
Our business just got one same message and number July 29/07/15.
Scam caller - said his name was david orton from the ATO and that we had warrants out for our arrest etc.
I called the ATO they also confirmed this is a scam.
Hey guys yes total scam - I got the same call - same info about warrant out for arrest etc - I called the ATO they advised me it is a scam - the guy who called me told me his name was david orton he sounded indian - I just called him back to say that I know he was a Scam and he abused me and told me he doesn't have to justify who he is etc.
What a joke - I hope the police pay him a little visit.
Received a message on my home answering machine this morning. Suggestion was the indian man was from the ato and something about warrant issue. This is a scam so please be aware! I have reported it too. Please do the same so we can stop scum like this in our society.
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Yep this moron left a message on my answering machine today as well. Couldn't understand much, got the warrant for my arrest bit. Tried to call him back to exchange pleasantries but the number goes nowhere .
Had a message left on answering machine to call this number claiming that a warranty was out for our arrest. Very hard to understand but that much we did understand. But asked us to call this number to get more information.
I also received a call today from David Matthews. Funny name for a man with an Indian accent. The message he left on my voice message advised there was a possible arrest warrant and there was a petition against my name and before it is filed to the Commwealth Court in my territory (I don't live in a territory) to call 02 6152 8641. He hesitated over the number so I knew he was reading a script. A couple of months ago I had a similar call from a man with a very strong Indian accent. Do these people think I came down in the last shower. They are scamming bastards and prey on people who may be very frightened of being arrested. They are scum and I hope they get caught.
I received that same call today, telling me to call that same number.
I received a phone message on 27 July 2015 from a man claiming to be "Officer David Matthews" from "the Australian Taxation Office." The message was difficult to understand in places, but went along the following lines: "The reason you are getting a call from our department is because we are in the receipt of [allegations?] known to be filed against [unintelligible]... and there is a possible warrant out. Now, before the case gets downloaded into the Commonwealth Court [unintelligible]... territory and you receive a legal [unintelligible]... notification, please give us call back on our hotline number 0261528641." I didn't return the call because it was extremely dubious.
We also received this call. Fortunately we had our concerns but it is very disconcerting. The man did not give his name, just the number, saying it was the Commonwealth Courthouse in our State calling.
Got a call from 02 6152 8679 today saying they were from the Federal Police claiming they have started criminal actions against me due to ATO fraud. The idiot left a message on my answering machine so I have proof of their scam call. Now it's my turn to call the Federal Police. Hopefully the can stop this criminal.
They ALMOST scammed my friend of $5.000, my friend is not 'from' Australia and so was not aware of such scams, they (scammers) used serious scare tactics and they almost deposited $5.000 into their account, they ask you to withdraw the money from your account and send then the bank receipt of withdrawal, they then tell you to deposit the cash into their bank account, this way the transaction cannot be stopped between bank accounts. Thankfully my friend informed me of what was happening before they deposited the cash and so was able to stop them doing it.
NEVER DO ANYTHING BEFORE CHECKING WITH THE ATO OR ANY OTHER ORGANISATION.
This afternoon I received a call from a female who quoted this number saying that I have been caught in tax evasion! I don't even pay tax because of the type of work I do! They quoted my surname and asked me to call back on the above number. I will call the ATO in Canberra to notify them of the call I received today.
Looks like I'm not the only one they tried to scam out of $4.000, .I could tell it was a scam from the start, so I had a bit of fun, eventually he told me to stop interrupting him and I was going to be arrested in 7 days, lose my house, car & bank accounts. I phoned the ATO in Canberra, they checked my tax info, nothing had been compromised. They too know of this scam and are looking into it. The more people that phone the ATO in Canberra the better, these incidences need to recorded, so hopefully they can catch these guys before someone gets ripped off.
I received a call identical to the previous comments telling me I owed $4.000.00 and to get my lawyer's advice. Interestingly, he had my correct name details which is alarming. I will report this to the ATO. These scammers are a menace.
Big scam. Tried the same thing with my elderly parents. Advise is call the ato and let them know so that they can get the AFP To investgate. Try telling them that your phone calls are monitored!!
I received a voice message on my landline from this number, claiming to be a urgent call from ATO. The officer name being Adam Smith (or similar). The message advised that a notice has been issued to me and there are some previous allegation pending against me. The officer asked me to call back asap. I tried calling the number and its engaged/busy always.
Scam scam scam.
I had a call from that number this afternoon with the caller claiming to be from the ATO and demanding $5000 to be paid into a bank account immediately or face being arrested. The caller told me the call was being recorded and that I should hold off any questions until the end. He also said I should not use any 'bad language words'. He almost sounded convincing until he put his supervisor on the line - he souned identical! The ATO was notified.
I had an urgent call from 'ATO' on my answering machine to call back that number, Sounds like another scam to me.
I received a call from this number claiming to be the Australian Tax Office and claiming that I was had been audited and owed around $4000 to the Taxation Dept. I would be summoned and arrested. They demanded to know who my Lawyer was. Not being racist, but all people that I conversed with had an Indian accent. I asked to speak to a superior as I wasn't happy with the way I was being talked to, and was promptly hung up on. I called back and got through to the person who called me and was promptly hung up on again after telling the person who I was. I am not sure how they are going to attempt to get the money from people, I am guessing through scare tactics. Please share this if it has happened to you.
Andy.