Scam calls pretending to be from the ATO ramp up every year around tax time. The ATO received almost 7,500 impersonation scam reports in July 2025 alone. They have now released a feature that lets you confirm in real time whether a caller is the ATO. 

How verify call works 

The verify call feature was launched on 2 April 2026 and sits inside the free ATO app. If you get a call from someone claiming to be the ATO: 

1. Open the ATO app and log in. 

1. Tap “Verify call”. 

1. Within 30 seconds you should get a notification confirming the call is genuine. If you don’t, hang up. 

You need to have downloaded the ATO app and registered your device on it for this to work. 

Strengthen your myID at the same time 

While you are in the app, check that your myID is set to the highest identity strength (called “Strong”). This makes it harder for anyone else to access your tax or super information online and is the most secure way to log into ATO services. 

If you have a tax agent 

If you have a tax agent and the ATO calls you directly, ask the representative to call your agent instead, unless the matter is one that can only be discussed with you. Most ATO matters can be handled through your agent, which adds another layer of verification and saves you sorting it out yourself. 

Key takeaway 

Set up the ATO app and the verify call feature before tax time. If you ever get a call, SMS or email claiming to be from the ATO and you are not sure, contact your dedicated team at Inspire first and we will check it through official channels for you.