Just got a robocall from a purported “ATO officer” “alerting” me to a supposed lawsuit “taken out against your name” reciting a phone number that I was supposed to call or suffer dire consequence.
I guffawed and sang “Scam scam scam” to the tune of the Star Wars Imperial March until the call ended, because I’d already heard about these scammers from our public broadcaster, who’ve just revisited their annual story about these opportunist scum.
An important point strongly emphasised in another story where an ABC radio presenter recorded the conversation that occurred when he did call the number back is that government departments never ring up to demand payment immediately over the phone; even the robodebt fiasco uses mail. Also note that only scammers ask for payment in the form of iTunes vouchers.
Heaps more information at ACCC’s Scamwatch and Fair Trading’s Scams page.