The ATO has warned tax agents that criminals are targeting tax practitioners to steal details of their business and individual clients. The ATO says these thieves have used this stolen information to create false payment summaries, lodge fraudulent returns and obtain fraudulent GST refunds. Consequently, this can result in financial loss for tax agents and their clients.

The ATO says it is important that tax practitioners take reasonable care to safeguard their client information. This is particularly relevant now many are working predominantly online.

[LTN 52, 18/3/14]