Scam alerts
Scams and how to report them
If you are concerned that a phone call, SMS, voicemail or email claiming to be from the ATO, the Community Grants Hub or the Department of Social Services is not genuine, do not reply to it. We encourage you to:
- report the scam to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) via visiting Scamwatch
- phone the Department of Social Services’ fraud reporting hotline on 1800 054 312, or email the fraud mailbox at fraud@dss.gov.au
- contact the ATO on 1800 008 540.
If you have already provided information or are concerned that a crime has or may be committed, please immediately contact the police, your bank or the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) if it relates to your passport details.
It is important to know that Departmental officers at the Department of Social Services do not:
- cold call members of the public to promise grant funding
- contact members of the public seeking personal information, such as bank details, passport or license numbers.
It is a serious matter to impersonate a Commonwealth public official. It may even be a criminal offence carrying a penalty of imprisonment in some circumstances.
If you think you have been scammed, find out where to get help.
