ATO - Fraudulent tax returns and scam incidents

Question

How much money has the ATO paid out in fraudulent tax returns that have been lodged by scammers in financial years: 1. 2022-23 2. 2023-24 3. 2024-25 4. 2025-26 How many incidents of scammers using tax returns to scam recipients have occurred in financial years: 1. 2022-23 2. 2023-24 3. 2024-25 4. 2025-26 How many incidents of scammers adjusting the bank account details, and falsifying tax file returns was the ATO notified of prior to payment that we still paid out, and what was the value of these transactions in financial years: 1. 2022-23 2. 2023-24 3. 2024-25 4. 2025-26 What happens to a compromised tax file number, are victims of scams able to get a replacement number? What security measures has the ATO put in place to reduce people's accounts being able to be compromised? Are all communications encrypted? When updates to MyGov occur are you aware of incidents of nominated agents' emails being removed from people's accounts?

Answer

See attached response.

Documents

• Question with answer (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
• SQ26-000240 ATO - Fraudulent tax returns and scam incidents.pdf (opens in a new tab)