Hi guys,
I was just checking mygov account and I haven't filed my tax return for 2019-2020 which I was thinking of starting. I see that someone has reported false payment on my ABN.
Please find the screenshot here: https://ibb.co/BcPjJk3
I never worked for any security company and got paid $11k+. This is all bullshit.
Can you guys please guide me on how to report this payment as fradulent to ATO and what are my options?
Thanks.
Yes, but I still can do it. At least I have option to do it even now.
You gotta pay the interest on what you'll owe too now iirc.
This looks like a mistake, just call the ATO and tell them and they will clear it up. Whatever it is, scam, accident, you don't really need to worry about it. Especially if GST is involved. You just have to tell the ATO, because of the COVID disaster their mind reading department probably won't be able to reach you, their psychic abilities is amplified when the mind readers are close to each other. But because of COVID they have to work from home and the ATOs ability mind read more than a few hundred meters is severely limited. I'm afraid you'll actually have to pick up the phone, call them, and tell them this thing you've learned.
lol
via an accountant lodgement is May next year, check with your accountant.
Only if already registered with an accountant if I remember correctly
Not entirely sure if it would work, but could perhaps call the ATO and ask?
Yes, I will do it on Monday but I am looking for anyone who has experienced this scam.
Other people's experience isn't really relevant nor would necessarily apply in your case. Simply call them tomorrow and get it sorted out. It's not something to be overly concerned about (unlike missing the tax deadline by quite a bit which is unusual but I'm sure you have your reasons).
Call the ATO contact us and tell them about it.
Could just be a typo when someone typed in a TFN.
Bonus points: update us on your outcome đź‘Ť
Yes, I will keep this thread updated. Hopefully, someone can share his experience regarding this before Monday
What difference will it make to your situation?
Can't really make a typo with an ABN, they are formatted a certain way and will be flagged as invalid if they don't meet the standard.
Member Since
10 min ago
I never worked for any security company and got paid $11k+. This is all bullshit.
Cool story bro.
Tell your accountant or the ATO.
Why are you being smartass? I joined the forum to ask a question. Is that a problem?
@Hithere at least it wasn't a car accident with no insurance post from a new member.
Try Whirlpool, plenty of tax experts there.
Thanks, will sign up there and ask.
They have lodged a TPAR report and must have put the wrong ABN in.
My bet is someone has got your ABN and used that to put in invoices in order to attempt to dodge tax. They've obviously used their own bank account to receive payments.
Speak firstly with your accountant and take their advice.
Yes, thats what I think too. Let's see how it goes.
Or that OPs ABN is one digit difference from an actual contractor. I don't always read the pre-filled information when filling these forms, I've never heard of some contractors I pay and I'll never hear from them again. Can't check them all, sometimes just have to trust the info they provided.
Unlikely that it's a simple keying error. The ABN is structured with quite a complex check digit routine to avoid such issues. Not to mention preventing people from just making one up.
I'm not good enough at math to guess how many digits difference and which digits are required. Divide by 11, divide by 89. I didn't even know it was possible to divide things by 89.
@AustriaBargain: You don't need to be. The point is that while 51 824 753 556 is a valid ABN, simply changing one of those digits to another number will make it invalid.
I'm no mathematician so couldn't tell you the probabilities of "randomly" guessing a valid number, but the whole point of these check digit routines is to prevent "fat finger" mis-entry of a number from resulting in a valid number. I'm convinced this is someone attempting fraudulent activity to dodge tax.
@Seraphin7: To what end though, it's tax time and no one will accept a random 11k invoice for a payment they never received. Unless they were hoping it would go unnoticed if a business routinely deals with transactions bigger. But why use OPs ABN when he's obviously not some multi million dollar business, why not use some huge company ABN where it really might go unnoticed.
@AustriaBargain: I can't tell you with any certainty what was in the mind of whoever it is that's done this if my suspicions are correct.
That said, my bet is they've gone with OP's ABN for exactly the reason it's not some mega business. If you turn up and tell them that you're invoicing under "Zoma's Zingers Pty Limited" and supply the matching ABN, they're betting that if someone checks, they won't think anything of it.
If you turn up with an invoice in the name of "Dodgy Bros Pty Limited" and then the ABN shows up as the Commonwealth Bank, it might ring an alarm bell or two.
@Seraphin7: And then they just disappear and change their phone number and stuff with the original client, user burner bank account, I don't really understand. All this spy stuff just to avoid tax?
@AustriaBargain: Not really spy stuff. Frankly it's pretty amateurish, but they're banking on it not getting chased up. Some people will do just about anything to dodge tax.
OPs ABN is one digit difference from an actual contractor
From the web site that serephin quoted above:
The 11 digit ABN is structured as a 9 digit identifier with two leading check digits
A one-digit difference isn't going to produce a valid ABN. Most common errors, like swapped digits, also aren't going to produce a valid ABN. It's almost impossible that a completely made up ABN is going to be valid.
It's much more likely that the perpetrator of the fraud "found" the OP's ABN somewhere and used it.
where can we check such payment deails by other for ABN when filing tax?
Contact the ATO's Tax Integrity Centre (TIC) if you suspect that there has been fraud or illegal activity using your ABN or other details.
This happened to me last year when I went to do my tax return. (it turned out a company made an error entering one of their employees tax file number and entered mine in error instead.)
I reported it to the ATO immediately, they informed me that I had to contact the company who made the incorrect payment and the company had to fix it their end. It took about a week all up because I was dealing with a extreme large international company and their pay team was located in Manila. But it was all sorted out in the end and removed from my ATO account.
FYI the ATO refused to take any responsibility or to help in any way, the onus was completely on me to fix issue.
FYI the ATO refused to take any responsibility or to help in any way, the onus was completely on me to fix issue.
Not surprising. ATO can't even get multi nationals to pay tax. They just terrorise the little guy because you can't afford tens of thousands in lawyer fees where as ATO can't afford tens of millions in lawyer fees to fight multi nationals who are in bed with our politicians.
Wow! That’s is so disappointing!
What if the fraudulent transaction company’s Pty Ltd name didn’t match anything in the whitepages.com.au? How were you meant to “fix” it then?
In my mind, if you report fraudulent activity to a government department in writing, they have an onus to investigate it and sort it out.
The fraud victim should not have to deal with this…
The department’s would have the tools and resources whereas the victim doesn’t not the experience in solving this.
It isn't hard to get some random ABN you just need to go to ABR and check.
if ur going that far to avoid paying tax may as well only do cash commission jobs and you're effectively tax free.
Instead of getting a $25 per hour + GST job you're going to do cash in hand job?
First problem is most big tax compliant companies are not going to hire you.
Second problem is after the person takes their cut fronting up to pay your tax you'll be lucky to get $15. Go around any city and ask for cash in hand unskilled jobs and you'll find $10 an hour.
First problem is most big tax compliant companies are not going to hire you.
Then go work for a non-tax compliant company…..or whose willing to give you cash pay every workday or weekly payout and entrusting you to handle the taxes…..which you won't…hehehe…
Second problem is after the person takes their cut fronting up to pay your tax you'll be lucky to get $15. Go around any city and ask for cash in hand unskilled jobs and you'll find $10 an hour.
Shouldn't be their problem, so why taxing tax on top? Makes no sense….They already pay taxes….
Then go work for a non-tax compliant company
You know tax evasion has a cost that is why most successful tax evading businesses are also illegal such as drugs, smuggling, people trafficking. Non tax compliant companies would most likely to be found if they try to work with tax compliant businesses due to the checks involved.
Shouldn't be their problem, so why taxing tax on top?
Because if you don't want to pay tax people believe you have something to hide, you become a price taker. It is like legal immigrants who don't have residency right, tax file number and bank account. Automatically pushes you into a smaller population of businesses that will work with you. Generally cash handling and tax evading businesses.
If you work a big business that only does purchase orders, pays invoices with electronic payments you are not going to be hiring people paid in cash because you need to explain to auditors where the cash went and if you can't demonstrate it is a cost you are in big trouble with the ATO.
You know tax evasion has a cost that is why most successful tax evading businesses are also illegal such as drugs, smuggling, people trafficking. Non tax compliant companies would most likely to be found if they try to work with tax compliant businesses due to the checks involved.
Really? I take it that you've had experience with this…?
If you work a big business that only does purchase orders, pays invoices with electronic payments you are not going to be hiring people paid in cash because you need to explain to auditors where the cash went and if you can't demonstrate it is a cost you are in big trouble with the ATO.
Ah-huh….so we just need to pick out the small businesses…..
@Zachary: You've got zero experience that is why you think taking cash payment is like picking off some magic money tree.
hasn't the deadline passed for this?