Dear valued client,

There have been numerous scam alerts issued by the ATO and ASIC this year with the intensity by fraudsters to steal your funds increasing exponentially over the last few months.


ATO – scammers are impersonating the ATO and demanding Bitcoin or other cryptocurrency as a form of payments for fake tax debts.


ASIC – Registry customers are being contacted by scammers pretending to be from ASIC and demanding they pay false fees and give personal information to renew their business or company
name.


These scammers are ruthless, demanding and very aggressive in their tactics to coerce funds from you. They will demand payment via Bitcoin or another form of cryptocurrency, iTunes/pre-paid Visa gift cards or into third party bank accounts.


Under no circumstances will the ATO or ASIC ever demand money from you or ask for your personal information and credit card/bank details via email or over the phone.


If you owe monies to the tax office or ASIC, there will be official letters and emails sent to you or your adviser.


If you have any doubts about whether a phone call or email is legitimate, hang up immediately or forward the email to your adviser and call them.


Information on legitimate ATO payment methods is available at www.ato.gov.au.


ASIC will only issue a renewal notice 30 days before your renewals date. You can search for your business name on the ASIC register to confirm if you are required to pay any outstanding funds.


For more information about how to report a scam visit: www.ato.gov.au.


Please remember that your adviser is your link to the ATO, so if you receive a call soliciting funds directly from you, hang up and contact us immediately on 03 9863 3111.


If you would like to talk to us further about this or if you have any questions, we are only a phone call away.


Warmest regards,

Tony Bongiorno

make every day a good day