Mobile phone scams differ in appearance and level of sophistication but will generally claim that you are eligible for a refund and instruct you to click on a link to submit a form to receive it.

Generally, they link to a bogus ATO website asking for personal information (including your mobile phone number) and credit card details.

By clicking the link or filling in the details you will potentially expose yourself to identity theft.

Scams that come to you on your mobile can be difficult to recognise. You should be wary of unsolicited texts or messages claiming to be from the ATO.

Occasionally we may send you an SMS – however, we will never message you asking for personal or credit card details. You can check whether an SMS claiming to be from us is genuine by referring to our list of SMS activities.

Under no circumstances should you provide personal information, such as credit card or banking details.

If you receive any messages like the examples shown below, you should delete them immediately. If you provided your personal details, you should contact us and your financial institution immediately.

Scam text message instructing user to follow a link to collect a refund.

The embedded link in the above message goes to this online form, which is not genuine:

Phishing web page that mimics an ATO form and claims you are entitled to a refund.

Example 2:

Scam text message instructing user to follow a link to collect a refund.

The embedded link in the above message goes to this online form, which is not genuine:

Phishing web page that mimics an ATO form and claims you are entitled to a refund.