When you’re running life or a business, there’s a lot to think about. Don't forget to protect your personal and financial information.
Scammers often try to ‘phish’ for information by impersonating government agencies such as the ATO.If you hand over your information, scammers might use it to:
- drain your bank account
- establish fake businesses in your name
- gain access to your online government services
- scam your clients and employees.
Scammers have many opportunities to trick you into giving away your valuable information.
There are some things you or your business can do to help stay safe:- use complex passwords and change them regularly
- remove system access for people who no longer work for you
- log out of systems and lock computers when you're not using them
- maintain up-to-date security and anti-virus software on computers and other devices.
There are also some things you can do to stay safe when you're dealing with government and organisation services online:
- don't access services via a hyperlink in an email or SMS
- access services through an independent online search
- if you're ever in doubt, look up the service's phone number separately and call them to check.
MORE:
Australian Taxation Office (ATO)