New ATO ‘Verify Call’ Feature: Instant Protection Against Phone Scams

As tax time approaches, so does the annual spike in scam calls pretending to be from the ATO. These calls are becoming increasingly convincing — and increasingly costly for those who get caught by them.

The ATO has now launched a simple, powerful solution: the ‘verify call’ feature in the free ATO app. Rolled out in early April 2026, it allows you to confirm — instantly and in real time — whether the person calling you is genuinely from the ATO.

No guesswork. No pressure. No risk.

How the new feature works

If you receive a call from someone claiming to be from the ATO, you can verify it in under 30 seconds:

1. Open the ATO app and log in.
2. Tap ‘Verify Call’ on the main screen.
3. Within moments, you’ll receive a clear notification confirming whether the call is genuine. 

If you don’t receive a confirmation, hang up immediately — it’s almost certainly a scam.

This tool gives taxpayers a practical, real-time defence against impersonation scams, which are now one of the most common fraud attempts in Australia. In July 2025 alone, the ATO received nearly 7,500 impersonation scam reports, and numbers always surge between April and July.

Scammers don’t just waste your time — they can redirect refunds, access your superannuation, or steal personal information that takes months (and sometimes thousands of dollars) to fix. That’s why this new feature is welcome relief.

Why this matters for individuals and businesses

Most scam calls succeed because they create urgency — “pay now”, “confirm your identity”, “your tax file number is compromised”. The verify call tool eliminates that pressure entirely. It lets you check the caller before you share any information.

Better still, it requires no special technology. If you have a smartphone and the ATO app installed, you’re ready to go. Setting it up takes just a couple of minutes.

Add one more layer of protection: Strengthen your myID

For maximum security, we strongly recommend ensuring your myID (digital identity) is set to the highest identity-strength level, known as ‘Strong’. This makes it significantly harder for anyone else to access your tax or super information online.

What you should do now

To get the benefits straight away:

• Download or update the ATO app (available on Apple and Android).
• Register your device within the app.
• Check your myID settings in myGov and upgrade to ‘Strong’ if you haven’t already.
• Practise using the verify call feature once, so you’re confident before tax time arrives. 

These are simple steps that can prevent major financial and administrative headaches.

We’re here to help

This is one of the most practical security upgrades the ATO has delivered in years — and it genuinely makes life easier for taxpayers. Now is the perfect time to get set up, stay protected, and make this tax season as stress-free as possible.

Remember though - if you ever have doubts about a call, email or message claiming to be from the ATO, contact us first. That’s what we are here for.  We can quickly check its validity through official channels. 

Got questions or need help with the ATO app? Just reach out to us. We’re here to support you — securely, efficiently, and always in your best interests.

DISCLAIMER:

Liability limited by a scheme approved under Professional Standards Legislation.

The content of this newsletter is general in nature. It does not constitute specific advice and readers are encouraged to consult their Ruddicks adviser on any matters of interest. Ruddicks accepts no liability for errors or omissions, or for any loss or damage suffered as a result of any person acting without such advice. This information is current as at 4 May 2026, and was published around that time.  Ruddicks particularly accepts no obligation or responsibility for updating this publication for events, including changes to the law, the Australian Taxation Office’s interpretation of the law, or Government announcements arising after that time. 

Any advice provided is not ‘financial product advice’ as defined by the Corporations Act.  Ruddicks is not licensed to provide financial product advice and taxation is only one of the matters that you need to consider when making a decision on a financial product. You should consider seeking advice from an Australian Financial Services licensee before making any decisions in relation to a financial product.  © Ruddicks 2026