Dear Editor,
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I have just received a phone call from Officer Joseph Garner ID 101694 phone number 0283107732 who informs me I have fraudulently evaded Tax.
He gave me lots of numbers to write down, all recorded and threatened me with a call from the Deputy of Police to arrest me within 45 minutes.
When I calmly told him I was eager to meet the Deputy of Police, he confirmed that this officer would arrive from Grenfell Police Department.
Soon after he hung up or the call was disconnected.
My concern is the number of people who may be contacted in our area and may not recognise this as a possible SCAM.
I was not asked for any personal details in this call but received a message from a missed call earlier in the day and phoned the number.
This person also mentioned the Tax Department quoted my name and my husband’s, he asked for my home address.
I refused to give it to him until he could prove he was from the Taxation Department.
At this he became extremely irate and accused me of wasting his time, claimed he was not from the Taxation Department and hung up.
Please could you make people aware of this probable scam.
Thanking you,
Christine A Simpson
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HELPFUL ADVICE FROM THE AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE:
Some important tips from the ATO if you feel you may have been victim to a scammer are:
Verify the legitimacy of a communication
You can check on any communication that you aren’t sure about, or report a phone scam, by phoning us on 1800 008 540.
Report an unsolicited email
You can report unsolicited emails claiming to be from the ATO by forwarding the entire email to ReportEmailFraud@ato.gov.au
If you've been a victim of a tax-related scam
If you think you have been a victim of a tax-related scam, phone us on 1800 008 540 – do so immediately, because your personal details, including your TFN, may be compromised.
You should also contact your bank/financial institution as soon as possible if you provided your credit card details as part of the suspected scam.
If you have been or feel as though you have been the victim of a scammer of any kind, remember they are not just claiming they are from the ATO but some claim to be from other Government Departments, such as the State Debt Recovery Office notify the police.
Contact your local police on 000 or GRENFELL POLICE STATION on 02 6343 1222. Residents are also encouraged to contact Crime Stoppers on the national toll free number 1800 333 000 or by accessing www.crimestoppers.com.au. Crime Stoppers is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.