1300 466 859 and 1300 880 217 is the ATOs Debt Early Collections area. They make contact if you haven't paid your tax debt by the due date. It's really important you answer or return the call ASAP or they garnishee your bank account

It's a scam, people! Alan, Steve and bob all seem to be part of this scam so please dismiss their comments. I did not provide any of my details but I feel sorry for those that are more gullible and would do that. Call the ATO directly if you have any issues at all. Do not return this call.

There are conflicted reports here and both sides are correct but no one seems to have figured it out. I think I did and I'll try to explain it you guys.

The number that the caller leaves behind is correct .It's a real number listed in the ATO website. I checked and confirmed it. However, I also do know that ATO doesnt chase debts with a call. That's their last resort. Correct me if I am wrong. I have experience as a business owner and deal with them a lot. They send a letter first explaining the debt and options to pay or start a dialog to discuss. You will NEVER get a call out of the blue.

So with all the info and experience I have regarding debt collectors and scams and ATO, I can confidently say this is indeed a scam call but the caller leaves a voice mail with a real number to call you back (and requests a call on a specific date usually a week in advance). This leaves the person pondering. He checks the number, looks legit but waits to call back on the date specified. Then usually within minutes or next day or before the requested date, the scammers call back and you are now convinced it's a real caller and it all goes downhill for you if you dont catch on fast enough.

So, to sum it up, its a scam after all. So beware. ATO will always start a dialog with a letter and surely dont have Indians with a noisy background calling you. Sure, there could be the real Indian guy with an indian accent working in the real ATO office. Just be careful is all I am saying.

I work there and this is the number we ask people to call us back on it is the debt early collections dept.

The Australian Taxation Office does not have an "early debt collection department"

This is a SCAM. Anyone on here claiming it is not is either part of the scam or gullible. I work as a tax agent and we get calls from time to time from these scam numbers. I called it out of curiosity once and the first thing they ask for is your TFN and then tell you some BS about creating a unique "voice print" which is ridiculous. When calling the real ATO numbers as I have done hundreds of times they will never ask for your TFN, bank details etc and will usually ask for reference numbers off BAS, Notice of Assessments or other correspondence to help identify you. I must say they have done their best to sound like the ATO, even saying things like 'tell me if you want me to read our privacy statement' and 'this call is being recorded for quality and training purposes' which the real ATO do say when calling our office but these scammers are just trying to steal your personal information. The number is not listed anywhere on the ATO site even under their listed debt collector numbers. Do not give these callers any information or call back this fake ATO number. Everything from the automated voice to the words they use is derived from the ATO but it is not them.

I just called the real ATO on the number on this page:

https://www.ato.gov.au/general/online-services/in-detail/online-security/how-to-verify-or-report-a-scam/

They confimed it was a scam - don't give these scumbags any of your information and if you have inform the real ATO about it immediately.

I've just received a message asking me to call this number. I was suspicious so I called the main ATO number and they confirmed it IS one of their numbers. They had a record of the call they placed to me last night.

I currently work for the ATO on the debt line (13 11 42), am trained in Early Intervention and make these calls myself. This is definitely the number for the Early Intervention department at the ATO, and if you don't call it back within two business days your debt will be referred to a third-party collection agency OR the process will start so your employer/bank will be issued with a garnishee notice (ie, we'll just take your money). In some circumstances even more severe action (legal action) will be taken, but that's relatively rare at the EI stage.

The people saying this is a scam are absolute idiots. If you don't want to call the 1300 number for whatever reason, go to the ATO website and call the debt number there. They will confirm the call is legit because a record is made of every outbound call made to any entity (whether that's s company, trust, partnership or individual).

In short, ignore this call at your peril. It's fine to be skeptical, but if you rely on the people here saying it's a scam you could be in a world of hurt.

This is a real department of the ATO. Used to be called Early Collections, now Early Interventions. It is listed right there on the ATO website at https://www.ato.gov.au/about-ato/about-us/contact-us/phone-us/ and the fact that there are allegedly tax agents spreading lies about this being a scam is irresponsible beyond belief. If you get a message from these people, you'd better call it or you'll be in worse trouble.

How deep dose this scam go. my parents were called in regards to my tax account and ask to reply within two day. how did they know my parents number as a contact as I don't have they phone number linked to any tax info, also we have different last names so how can they even find out the connection.

It's NOT a scam. It's from the ATO debt collection agency. Go to the ATO's website and it's listed there. Number for Number. The idiots on this forum, thinking they are astute scam spotters, is embarrassing

It might be time for you to get a new agent, if she really doesnt know that its an ato office, no joke start looking

I received a call today from a lady claiming to be from the ATO requesting my TFN, Name, Address and DOB. I said i wasn't comfortable and they gave me this number to ring. I contacted the ATO from their website making sure it was a reputable number and they confirmed they had called me. This is a legitimate number

Confirmed with my accountant that this is DEFINITELY A SCAM!

This number: 1300 466 859 is genuine! Don’t take my word for it; look up: https://www.ato.gov.au/about-ato/about-us/contact-us/phone-us/ . If you get a message from this number, then you really should call back. If you’re worried about a scam, look up the number first and dial it manualy.

All over the ATO website it states not to give over sensitive info over the phone. Yet when you call back this 1300 number, you get asked for your ABN, TFN, date of birth, and even bank account info! How can you verify whether this is a legitimate ATO phone number, and that the person you are talking to is definitely an ATO employee?? Or is it a scam? BTW my tax was paid up to date at the time I received the call.

When I called them, very glad I refused to give any personal details.
I just asked them to send me their usual Statement of Account (to the address they already have on file) so that I can ask my accountant to check it for me.
So IF this is a scam, I should still be safe. ;-)

Caller: supposedly ATO

I got the message to ring 1300 466 859.
I think its a scam . So I logged into my gov account.
There were messages for me. But importantly nothing saying they were chasing money.
If you believe you might possibly owe the tax office money log into your My gov account and pay via the mygov account.
Or check with your accountant.
DO NOT PAY INTO ANY PRIVATE ACCOUNT just because they tell you to do that.

Caller: 1300 466 859

If you visit this actual ATO website contact page and scroll down a bit to find the number: https://www.ato.gov.au/About-ATO/Contact-us/Phone-us/

you will see that it is indeed the ATO Debt Early Intervention office - "By engaging with taxpayers early, we can help them manage their obligations and prevent their debt from escalating."

Ignore the call/message at your own peril.