Emmanuel Marshall 17 January 2018 16:56:19 AEDT 2 MIN READ

Fake ATO Email Links to Malware - New Scam Alert


MailGuard has intercepted a new zero-day email scam. The messages are using fake branding of the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) and request the recipient to fill in a linked ‘tax form.’

The link in these messages is actually pointing to a JavaScript malware file in a .zip archive.

Cybercriminals execute ATO brandjacking scams regularly. The ATO is a well-trusted name for Australians; the authority of respected government institutions lend credence to scams of this sort.

The ATO offers this advice on their website:

‘We won't use email, text messages or social media to ask you to: update or provide personal information, supply your TFN, credit card or bank details, send you downloadable files or tell you to install software… If you are in doubt about an interaction you have had with someone claiming to be from the ATO, or you think you have fallen victim to an ATO Impersonation scam, you can call us on 1800 008 540 between 8:00am–6:00pm Monday to Friday to verify.’

 

Protect Yourself From Scams


Email-borne malware can be very costly and destructive.

Never open emails that:

  • Appear to be sent from a reputable organisation but are not addressed to you by name
  • Include a message that urges you to act quickly
  • Ask you to enter personal information that they should already have access to, particularly when the site looks suspicious
  • Take you to a landing page with a bogus URL


New attacks are appearing every day, so take action to protect your company from financial and reputational damage, now.

Effective cybersecurity requires a multi-layered strategy. For a few dollars per staff member per month, add MailGuard's cloud-based email and web filtering protection. You’ll significantly reduce the risk of malicious email entering your network. Talk to an expert at MailGuard today about your company's cybersecurity needs: 1300 30 44 30

 

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