02 8007 3436: Scam Alert - Fake ATO Tax Fraud Calls

Agent eric ato again.. Scam for sure. Ato doesn't tell people the police are coming to arrest you..

Someone please tell me what does he get out of these strange phone calls? Also whetr did he get our number?

Same as rest of comments - called number back. Same guy as rang. When did that ever happen with ATO. Asked my name & number. I asked him how he didn't know seeing he'd just called it. He gets totally confused if you ask him questions. Scam for sure. Should be way to stop this.

Just received a call (1145 27 July 2015) from this number (02 8007 3436). Foreign sounding gentleman (young) claiming to be from ATO. (Knew my name) Didn't give his name. Connection bad and call dropped out. Sounded suspicious, but thought in case it was ATO, I would ring number back. Phone rang a few times and switched to answering machine. Same gentleman saying 'You have reached the ATO, operators busy, please leave a message etc etc.' I hung up without leaving a message, clearly suspecting a scam.

The same happened to me with the same name and number- 0280073436.scam!

It's a scam alright no two way's about it' I rang eric and told him I was a detective. He immediately hung up and the number 0280073436 remained busy all afternoon. God bless the little prick.

I received a message on answering machine from officer Eric stating I had to ring this number or other wise there would be a warrant out for my arrest, when I rang the number back it went to answering machine stating I had rang the ATO and to leave a message. I reported this to the police station but they stated there was nothing they could do as there was no offence committed.

Officer Eric Foster from the ATO just called advising us to call back as a lawsuit had been instigated in my name. I called the ATO on 1800 199 010 which is their complaints line. You can check if there are any genuine problems there. NOTE: When you actually call the Australian Taxaxtion Office you will be on hold foerever and shunted through to a few different areas before you get help - Eric is a scam - he answers the phone himself - SCAM SCAM SCAM!!!!

I just got the same call from 0280073436 stating it was Officer Eric Foster from the ATO on 14/07/15. He also claimed that there was a case against me unless I phoned back immediately After repeating the number he gave his name at the end and also added "God Bless You".

My daughter received a call on our home phone from a man who left 02 8007 3436 as the call back number. She said he asked her to let me know to call back immediately as he is from the Australian taxation office and it is very urgent. She called me and I called the number as I have my own business so thought it might have something to do with my registration as I updated that last week. The person answering the phone says Australian taxation office but in a foreign accent. I told her I was asked to call back the number and then she asked me to confirm my home phone number, but before I could do that she cut me off. Looks like a scam....

Had a call this morning from this number claiming to be David Marshall from ATO regarding alleged incorrect returns, when I suggested he contact my accountant the call was quickly ended. Scam still active.

I have received a phone call to my landline on 10/7/2015 from this number claiming it's from Australian Taxation Office. When I called back using my mobile phone, "Officer Eric" from "Australian Taxation Office Head Quarter in Canberra" asked me for my landline number. When I did not provide and asked why he called my landline number, he told me he would report me to police and hang up the call. Clearly a spam!!

Got message from my landline yesterday. I freak out when it said this is a final notice and I will be arrested If I don't respond to 0280073436. From Officer Eric, ending God bless you.... Thanks for the info Guys. Now I can confirm that it's a bloody SCAM!

Yes just listened to two home messages 18th and 23rd June. Both exactly the same about a law suit words we don't use in Australia and any business would not breech privacy leaving such a message on an answering service. Ours was also officer Eric and God bless. So not Australian. Yes this mentioned ATO. You would think that Telstra could track where the calls come from and shut get this down.

My wife got the ATO message about urgent matter on her mobile. Then also a message on the home phone about legal action concerning Tax fraud and evasion. Here they used 0261403484 as a call back. I rang it in the morning an got a recording first in Russian then in English that the number cannot be reached and to try later.

I just got a call from officer Erick who claims to be from the ATO. I have to call him back immediately or a claim will be lodged against me. Ended with God Bless you. Definitely a scam. Check the ATO website. Do not give out any of your details. IT"S A SCAM!!

I just got the same call from 0280073436 stating it was Officer Eric from the ATO on 19/06/15 Also added "God Bless You" at the end? I didn't think it sounded right either!

Scam is still going. I just call from lady from this number. Pause of course first as I suppose on that autodial thing waiting then a voice saying from tax office. I said " ooh last time you were with Microsoft and Telstra" (as I had received recent pretend calls from 'them' saying problems etc) She immediately hung up.

Call received along lines described by others from "Officer Earth" on 18 June so scam still active. Call logged as Overseas call from 161280073436.

Had a message left yesterday 16 June saying they were filing a law suit regarding an ATO matter and I must return call on this number immediately. They obviously want MONEY. I had heard about this scam on the TV. I am going to report this to the POLICE as I have it recorded and perhaps they can do something.

Thank for the confirmation. As soon as he said God bless you I was suspicious. Gave me the creeps.

Got a call about auto matter at the end of the call he says "god bless you" as if a business call finishes like that... Def a spam call.

I more or less got robbozz's same message to the letter on the 16/6/15.

I got a call on my landline from 02 80073436 from ERIC, left message and asked to call urgently otherwise file a complaint against you... HAHA.. ATO don't discuss with anyone if its not Right Party. Be aware and don't answer the call or don't call back.

They have not shut down their scam. They called my parents and they nearly got them. I wish I could track them down.

F*king idiots called up my father and almost got him. Luckily I spoke to them and they knew they were caught. I've been calling back on this number and leaving nice voicemails. :) hopefully these degenerates get caught and can't scam innocent people's hard earned income.

I got this call from Eric this afternoon, pretending that he's working from ATO, I called him back and told him that I have reported him already to ATO and he will be in big trouble!

I got a Phone call to. He said his name was Officer Robert Smith. I asked him if he was Australian.. By his first and last name. He said yes. I called him every name under the sun.

I got a call from these bozos, whats funny is that since I got their number I haven't stopped calling and pranking them! I think they are planning to shut down their scam now cus tgey're sick of being hassled! Lol.

These stupids keep on calling me also about tax fraud etc and asking me if I will like to know get more information or the case be handed over to the state police, I said go ahead and pass it to state police.

Bloody disgusting people trying to scam people.

I called and spoke with them for 17 minutes. Wanted to see what the scam was so I gave a phoney name and address and amazingly they found my case file still. They wanted details on how I filed my taxes, who I filed them with and just general details. All of the ones I gave we're crap and eventually I got to speak with what must have been Eric's brother, chief investigator Danny foster. He provided me with his badge number of VN48792. If anyone wants to call him and have some fun go ahead. The longer you can waste their time with fake stuff the less time they have to scam people.

I got a call this morning same as that eric dude he actually used my hubbys name and was saying the same thing that there is a legal matter and he was to be arressted he wanted his mobile number so please beware I reported it to the ato.

This is the message I got from our dodgy mate Eric with his inaudible surname.

HELLO MY NAME IS OFFICER ERIC??? CALLING YOU FROM THE AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE.

HERE IS A FINAL NOTIFICATION CALL FOR YOU.

THERE IS A CASE BEING FILED UNDER YOUR NAME I NEED YOU TO GET BACK TO ME ON 02 8007 3436 I REPEAT 02 8007 3436.

IF I DON'T HEAR FROM YOU THIS TIME THERE WILL BE AN ARREST WARRANT WHICH WILL BE SIGNED UP AGAINST YOUR NAME AND THEN YOU WILL GET ARRESTED SO GET BACK TO ME THIS OFFICER ERIC ???

THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU.

Well Eric I've managed to deciphered your surname.

Mr Eric Theidiot I think your values are screwed up if your asking God to bless me.

Do yourself a favour get a real job but a word of advise not with the ATO.

We also got called twice on 21.04.2015 from Eric Foster 02 80073436 stating that there was a lawsuit filed, not giving any details of whom it was filed against. When we called back.. Funny American accent and voicemail... Did not pick phone.

Got a call from these jokers too, claiming "There's an arrest warrant for me issued by the ATO over dodgy deductions" I started laughing and he hung up abruptly.

Yes, I got a call too. So NOT calling back!

I got the same scam messages claiming to be from the Australian Taxation Office. It's clearly a scam as this is not the way the ATO does business. Do not call back!

Same thing happened to me. Eric Foster was the name given in an central Asia accent, perhaps Pakistani. I spoke to the Tax office who sent a brief to their intelligence investigation branch who will follow the matter up. They stated that the wording and approach was no way inline with any taxation office procedure as the ATO communicate in writing in the form of letters and notices. Don't return the call and don't leave any details was the advice from the ATO.

Have received two called on my answering machine from Eric, firstly threatening legal action if I didn't call back and secondly saying there would be a warrant out for my arrest. He doesn't actually ask for a particular person so do not give any personal details if you call him because if he is from the ATO he should already have them. Definite scam!!!

I missed call from this number, received voice mail from Eric to call back. I called ATO straight away they said they never called me. I called Eric and he picked up the phone saying he is from ATO. He asked for my personal details, I didn't give him any. He was very rude. I asked him were is he calling from and ill call ATO directly, dsn't want to give you my personal details. He disconnected the phone straight away saying that's fine thn.

Please be careful guys. He will call and ask for your bank details to refund you some money but they will take money from your bank and use your personal details aswell.

This is a very dangerous spam number. If you get a call report it straight away.