ATO scam calls: how to spot and report them

Published 30 April 2026 · 6 min read

Australian Tax Office impersonation has been the most-reported phone scam in Australia for years running. The script changes — outstanding debt, refund eligibility, audit threats — but the playbook is constant: pressure, urgency, and a payment demand the real ATO would never make.

How an ATO scam call usually goes

The opening is almost always one of three flavours:

• Pre-recorded threat. A robotic voice claims there's a warrant for your arrest over an unpaid tax debt, and instructs you to press 1 to speak to an "officer" before the AFP arrives. None of that is how the legal system works.
• Live caller, fake authority. A person with an official-sounding tone says they're from the ATO Compliance team. They may quote a "case number" and ask you to confirm your TFN to "verify your identity".
• Refund bait. "You're entitled to a refund of $X — we just need your bank details to process it." The real ATO already has your bank details on file from your last lodgement.

The escalation is consistent: the caller insists you stay on the line, claims the matter is time-critical, and steers you toward an unusual payment method — gift cards, cryptocurrency, a wire transfer, or a BPAY code that doesn't appear on the ATO's published biller list.

Spoofed ATO numbers

Scammers routinely fake the caller ID to display a real ATO number — most commonly 13 28 61 (the ATO's individual-enquiries line) or various 1800 numbers. Seeing a familiar ATO number on your screen does not prove the call is from the ATO. The display is just text the originating carrier passes through; from cheap overseas VoIP services it can be set to anything. Read more in our guide on caller ID spoofing.

What the real ATO will never do

• Threaten you with immediate arrest, deportation, or police action over the phone.
• Demand payment in iTunes vouchers, Google Play cards, cryptocurrency, or untraceable wire transfers.
• Ask you to read out one-time codes, your full myGov password, or your bank PIN.
• Tell you to keep the call confidential or not to discuss it with family or your accountant.
• Insist that you stay on the line continuously while you make a payment.
• Demand payment to a personal account or to a BPAY biller code that isn't 75556 (income tax) or one of the other published codes.

What the real ATO actually does

• Most communication is through your myGov inbox. If a tax matter needs your attention, that's where it'll surface first.
• Genuine phone calls do happen — for example, when a tax agent has lodged something or there's a query on a specific return. The caller will reference details only the ATO would know, and they'll happily let you call back through 13 28 61 to verify.
• Letters arrive by Australia Post on ATO letterhead with a reference number you can verify on the ATO website.
• Repayment plans and payment instructions always reference your TFN and the official BPAY biller codes published at ato.gov.au/howtopay.

How to verify a suspicious call in 60 seconds

1. Hang up. A real ATO officer will not be offended.
2. Look up the official number yourself. Don't redial; don't trust the number on your call log. Go to ato.gov.au/contact.
3. Call 13 28 61 (individuals) or 13 72 26 (business) and ask if there's an open matter on your account. Reference any case number the caller gave you — if it's fake, the operator will tell you immediately.
4. If you're worried about a scam call generally, call the ATO scam reporting line on 1800 008 540.

How to report an ATO scam

• ATO directly: email ReportEmailFraud@ato.gov.au (yes, it covers phone scams too) with the date, time, number, and what was said.
• Scamwatch (ACCC): scamwatch.gov.au/report-a-scam — feeds national statistics and the Scamwatch alert feed.
• Phony: look up the number that called you and add a report. Set the call type to Scam and mention "ATO impersonation" in the comment so the next person searching that number sees it instantly.
• If you lost money, contact your bank within minutes (most banks can recall a transfer if it's still pending), then report to ReportCyber and call IDCARE on 1800 595 160 for identity-protection support.

What to do if you already gave them information

Don't panic, but move quickly:

• If you gave bank details: phone your bank's after-hours fraud line immediately. Block the affected card and watch for unauthorised transactions for the next 30 days.
• If you gave your TFN: the ATO can flag your record so any future suspicious activity triggers extra verification. Call them on 1800 467 033 (Client Identity Support Centre).
• If you sent a payment: contact your bank, then file a report with ReportCyber. Recovery is unlikely if the funds reached an offshore account, but every report helps map the scam network.

Bottom line

If a caller claims to be from the ATO and uses any combination of urgency, threats, gift cards, secrecy, or refusal to let you call back — it's a scam, full stop. Hang up, verify through official channels, and add the number to Phony so the next caller doesn't get caught.