Aussies are sent ATO and Centrelink phishing emails

The ACCC's SCAMwatch service warned Australians to be cautious of spurious emails. It is known that the bogus emails purport to be from Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and Centrelink and they ask for such personal information as name, date of birth, address and banking details.

Australians who have received those emails said they required such information “to receive the bonus payments” announced on 3 February 2009. 

It is true that the ATO and Centrelink are preparing to make automatic one-off bonus payments to the accounts nominated by Australian taxpayers, families, students and farmers during the next months as part of the $42 billion dollar package. Nonetheless, SCAMwatch highlighted that the ATO, Centrelink or the taxpayers’ bank would never send emails requesting verification of personal information.