Scams move fast in Australia—especially around tax time, banking, deliveries and myGov. Right now we’re seeing a spike in impersonation scams delivered by email, SMS and phone that mimic the ATO, banks and well-known brands, plus “fake large purchase awaiting your approval” alerts designed to panic you into clicking or calling. Here’s a concise rundown for business owners and households, with practical steps if you’ve been scammed. Even in a website article such as this one always double check the links and phone numbers are legitimate.
The big scam themes in 2025
ATO and myGov impersonation
Emails, texts and robocalls claim you’re due a refund, owe an urgent tax debt, or must “verify” your myGov account. Red flags include links to login pages, pressure to act immediately, persistent follow up calls and poor grammar or odd sender domains. The ATO stresses it will never ask for sensitive information via unsolicited SMS/email and provides a dedicated verification and reporting line (1800 008 540). Australian Taxation Office
Banking “authorise a large purchase” texts
Scammers pose as your bank with messages like “A $1,980 purchase is awaiting your approval—verify now,” or claim your account is locked. They often spoof sender IDs so their message appears in the same thread as genuine bank alerts. ACMA and the National Anti-Scam Centre warn this trend is rising; banks (ANZ, NAB, Bendigo, Macquarie, etc.) have issued specific guidance. ACMA
Government/brand impersonation more broadly
Criminals continue to mimic the ACSC (Australia’s Cyber Security Authority), postal/delivery brands and toll providers. The ACSC has warned about direct impersonation campaigns; Australia Post and media reports also flag widespread delivery-related smishing. Cyber Security Australia
Why you’re seeing more of these
Email and SMS remain the most common delivery methods. The government is moving to a national SMS Sender ID register to reduce hoax texts, but scammers are agile and some still get through—so assume unsolicited “urgent” messages are risky. TechRadar
Quick pattern-recognition checklist
- Urgency or fear: “final notice”, “limited time”, “legal action”. News.com.au
- Unexpected links/attachments: especially to login pages or invoice portals. (Go direct to the official site or app instead.) Australian Taxation Office
- Requests for codes or remote access: banks and the ATO won’t ask for one-time codes over the phone. Scamwatch
- Requests to install an app or remote-access tools. Scamwatch
- Spoofed sender ID: messages appear under a familiar brand name; treat the content (not the “name”) as the truth source. ACMA
What to do—now—if you suspect a scam
- Stop and preserve evidence. Don’t reply, click links or call numbers in the message. Take screenshots and note timestamps. (Scamwatch has guidance and accepts reports.) Scamwatch
- Contact the organisation using a trusted channel. For banks, use the phone number in your banking app/website—not the message. For the ATO, call 1800 008 540 or use “Verify or report a scam” on ato.gov.au. Australian Taxation Office
- If you clicked/paid or shared details, act fast:
- Call your bank to lock accounts, reverse payments and reset cards. (Banks ask you to report impersonation attempts immediately.) ANZ
- Change passwords (email, banking, myGov) and enable stronger authentication—prefer app-based or security key over SMS where possible. News.com.au
- Report the incident via ReportCyber (the federal reporting portal managed by the ACSC) so it reaches the right law-enforcement team. Cyber Security Australia
- Get identity support: Contact IDCARE (Australia/NZ’s national identity and cyber support service) on 1800 595 160 for a tailored recovery plan. Attorney-General’s Department
- Do not accept offers from third parties to help you get your money back – this is a common tactic used by scammers to take more money from you. Some services will charge you large amounts of money with little chance that you will get your money back. There are free services that can help you, including IDCARE.
- If it involves myGov/Services Australia, follow the steps on their scams page and contact their Scams & Identity Theft Helpdesk if you shared info. Services Australia
- Report to Scamwatch. Your report helps disrupt active campaigns and informs enforcement and public alerts. Scamwatch
- If suspicious software has been uploaded by recommendation of the scammers to your phone or PC, stop using the device and take it to be professionally cleaned by a PC/Phone ‘doctor’.
Practical prevention for businesses and households
- Use official apps/bookmarks (ATO, banking, Australia Post). Never navigate from a message link. Australian Taxation Office
- Turn on app-based MFA (authenticator app or security key) and review recovery methods—SIM-swap and SMS-based codes are increasingly targeted. News.com.au
- Implement “call-back” policy in your business: staff must independently call vendors/banks on known numbers before changing bank details or paying “urgent” invoices. (Bank impersonation scams often succeed via social engineering.) Scamwatch
- Educate teams monthly using ACSC materials; know the ACSC hotline 1300 CYBER1 (1300 292 371). Cyber Security Australia
- Monitor Scamwatch stats to see which scam types and delivery methods are trending. Scamwatch
- Protect sensitive information, eg., don’t share Drivers Licences, Tax File Number, Passport etc via email.
Sources to trust and bookmark
- Scamwatch (ACCC): Scam alerts, reporting and statistics. Scamwatch
- ATO: Scam alerts, verification line 1800 008 540, and reporting guidance. Australian Tax Office
- ACSC/Cyber.gov.au: Active alerts, ReportCyber portal and practical “protect yourself” guidance. Cyber Security Australia
- ACMA: Warnings on bank impersonation SMS and sender-ID issues. ACMA
- IDCARE: Free identity and cyber support (1800 595 160). Attorney-General’s Department
- Media/industry updates: Examples and trends around ATO/myGov and bank impersonation campaigns. News.com
- If you are not satisfied with the response from your bank, you can seek free advice from the Australian Financial Complaints Authority.
- If you are experiencing financial hardship, contact the National Debt Helpline on 1800 007 007.
- If you need crisis support: Please contact Lifeline or Beyond Blue.
Bottom line: treat any unsolicited “refund approved”, “tax debt”, “account locked” or “large purchase awaiting your approval” or similar messages as suspicious until you verify it through a channel you trust. If you’ve engaged, call your bank and the ATO on their official numbers, report to ReportCyber and Scamwatch, and get help from IDCARE early—speed matters.
Disclaimer
The information contained in this publication is for general information purposes only, professional advice should be obtained before acting on any information contained herein. Neither the publishers nor the distributors can accept any responsibility for loss occasioned to any person as a result of action taken or refrained from in consequence of the contents of this publication.