This weeks phishing scam offers you a deal from the tax office; there appear to be two variants at the moment.
Variant 1.
This version was the first to be sent and is the one directly referred to in the warnings published by the ATO and ScamWatch [1,2].
Cut Off Taxes Program
30% Discount for your 2009 taxesRegister now for the The Cut Off Taxes Program (COTP).
This means you could get 30% back from all your 2009 taxes.
Remember to keep your receipt. They will help you calculate your refund and you may be required to show them as proof of purchase.
Learn more about the program
Variant 2.
Is the later version, modified to perhaps get past the descriptions in the current Scam warnings?
You have one new message Australian Taxation Office
INBOX (1)
From: Australian Government
Date: 6/21/2009
Subject:Please submit the tax refund and allow us 3-5 business days in order to process it.To continue please click here for Tax Refund Online
© Commonwealth of Australia
Tax Commissioner Michael D’Ascenzo said anyone who receives the email should delete it immediately. “The Tax Office never sends emails asking people to provide personal information including credit card details.” [1]
The link in the email points to http://____.opticon.hu/ato.gov.au/refund/index.php A quick visit to the web site and we find a quick and nasty webserver setup to harvest details that you enter into the phishing form.
[2] Australian Taxation Office tax refund online! (2009-JUN) [SCAMwatch]
Also be aware of non registered Tax Agents.
There are people promoting themsleves as registered Tax Agents and their usual approach is -
Guarantee a significant refund ($3-5000)
Fee from Refund
Well above market rate fee for service.
I have a client who is out of pocket almost $30,000 because he was “caught out” by using an unregistered Agent. The Tax Office hold him personally responsible for his returns, even though he did not consent to some deductions the masquerading agent put in the returns. The alleged agent received the refunds and only gave my client his expected refunds which were well short of thge amounts the ATO actually paid to the alleged Tax Agent.
How to protect yourself -
Check your Tax Agent is registered with the Tax Practitioners Board
Visit – http://www.tpb.gov.au/TPB/tax_agents_/Tax_agent_register/TPB/Subsidiary_Content/Register.aspx
Ask for the Tax Agent’s registration number when booking your appointment and call 1300 362 829 between 9:00 am and 5:00pm weekdays to check on the registration.
Do not allow your refund to be paid into any other account than either your own account or a properly established trust account.
Use a Chartered Accountant or CPA – they are subject to maintenance of high levels of professional standards.