Morning Scam Alerts: CPA Australia Warns of Tax Time Phishing

• Tax Scams
• Phishing Alerts
• CPA Australia

Scam emails and SMS impersonating the ATO are flooding inboxes at tax time. CPA Australia urges caution, especially in the early hours.

CPA Australia Issues Urgent Warning on Tax Time Scams

As June 30 approaches, CPA Australia is urging Australians to stay alert to a surge in phishing scams designed to catch you off-guard—especially early in the morning. These fraudulent emails and SMS messages impersonate the ATO and other trusted organisations, hoping to trick recipients into clicking malicious links before they’ve had their morning coffee.

Scammers Target Tax-Time Stress and Early Mornings

CPA Australia's Tax Policy Lead, Jenny Wong, explains that scammers are exploiting the seasonal pressure Australians face during end-of-financial-year activities. “Scammers know you’re expecting messages from the ATO, and they time these phishing attacks to arrive first thing in the morning when people are still waking up,” she said.

These fake messages often claim there's an urgent tax refund, a government update, or a pending penalty to be avoided by clicking a link. They’re designed to provoke panic or action before you have time to verify the sender or think critically.

How Much Is At Stake?

Data from the National Anti-Scam Centre shows phishing scams cost Australians $13.7 million in the first four months of 2025—nearly triple the losses from early 2024. The ATO has also reported a 300% rise in impersonation scams compared to last year.

What These Scam Messages Look Like

Examples of subject lines and content from these phishing emails include:

• “Urgent new notification in your account inbox”
• “Your refund is pending – log in to claim”
• “Avoid penalties – action required now”
• “Keep checking your inbox for important tax updates”

They often link to fake myGov login pages, disguised as secure government portals.

How to Spot a Tax Scam

• Grammar and spelling: Watch for unusual phrasing or US English (e.g. “finalize” instead of “finalise”).
• Unsolicited links or QR codes: The ATO will never send these in SMS messages or emails out of the blue.
• Suspicious email addresses: Check for subtle changes like extra numbers or slight misspellings in sender names.
• Requests for urgent action: Be cautious of any message demanding you act quickly to avoid consequences.
• Social media traps: The ATO does not use private messages or unverified accounts to request sensitive data.

What To Do If You're Unsure

• Don’t click or reply: If something seems off, don’t engage with the message.
• Verify directly: Call the ATO on 1800 008 540 or visit their official website’s scam verification page.
• Report scams: Let the ATO and Scamwatch know to help protect others.

Final Advice from CPA Australia

Jenny Wong advises Australians to take a moment in the morning before opening any unexpected emails or texts: “Review messages with a clear mind after you’ve had your coffee. Scammers thrive on snap decisions.”

For more insights, CPA Australia’s With Interest podcast in June will feature ATO’s Assistant Commissioner of Cyber Governance, Joda Water, discussing how to avoid tax time fraud.