"We've become aware of scam email designed to mislead our customers into making a payment. The email is titled 'Request for ASIC correspondence reprint' and states that the customer has requested an invoice reprint. The email also contains a link to download the invoice.

The invoice has not been issued by ASIC. If you receive this fraudulent email, please delete it."

​For further details click here.

A reminder for those of you in the building and construction industry that paid contractors in 2015-16, your Taxable payments annual report is due 28 August 2016.

Here are four simple tips to get it right:

• Check your contractor’s ABN and GST registration details as you deal with them through the year to make sure you correctly report them. To do this - use the ABN lookup tool or the ATO app. Report each contractor’s ABN, the total GST and gross amount paid to them for the year, in the correct fields.
• Show whole dollar amounts – ignore the cents
• Lodge online - make the process quick and easy this year by lodging online. All you need is an AUSkey and business software that can generate the annual report.
• Tell us if you don’t need to report – if you’re no longer in the building and construction industry or didn’t pay contractors for the year, let us know by completing the simple online form on our website. That way we will know not to contact you further about it.​

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (the ACCC) is warning Australians to steer clear of tax scams, after more than $1 million has been reported lost to their "Scamwatch" already in 2016, with over 300 people reporting they lost money to tax scams in the first half of 2016.

According to the ACCC, these scams often use personal information found online and ask for payment for "unpaid debts".

Scam phone calls often look like they come from local phone numbers but most use voice over internet protocol (VOIP) phone numbers to disguise the fact that they are calling from overseas.

While it does make outbound calls to taxpayers, the ATO said that it would never "cold call" taxpayers about unpaid debts, would never threaten jail or arrest or behave in an aggressive manner. Further, while it does send taxpayer emails, SMS messages or official social media updates about new services from time-to-time, the ATO will never request personal or financial information by SMS or email. If personal details were required, the recipient would be redirected to ATO online services.

To check whether an email or a call is genuine, call the ATO on its official contact number, 1800 008 540. Suspected ATO email scams can be reported by forwarding the original email to ReportEmailFraud@ato.gov.au. Scams can also be reported to the ACCC via the Scamwatch report a scam page or by calling 1300 795 995.