Tax Time 2026: How ATO protects your financial data

Cyber fraud is not going to stop overnight.  It will continue to become more sophisticated and pervasive as time goes on.  Which means this third episode in the tax time 2026 series is even more relevant today as it focuses on fraud risks and how you can protect your financial data.  With guest expertise from Jade Hawkins, assistant commissioner in the ATO's fraud and criminal behaviours business line, and hosted by CPA Australia's tax lead Jenny Wong, deep dive into the ATO's counter-fraud program, emerging scam trends and the practical tools now available to strengthen digital security across the tax system ahead of tax time 2026.  Additionally, explore new features in the ATO app that give taxpayers more control over their accounts to the steps agents can take to protect their clients and their own practices from new threats.  In this episode, you will also gain expert information on:  why identity theft and frauds are becoming more sophisticated  what tax agents can do to protect clients and their own practices  the most common fraud and cyber-attack techniques targeting the sector  why strong myID settings and multifactor authentication matter  how phishing, malware and credential stuffing attacks are evolving  what happens when a taxpayer's account is compromised.  Tune in now.  Host: Jenny Wong, tax lead, CPA Australia  Guest: Jade Hawkins, assistant commissioner in the ATO's fraud and criminal behaviours business line  For more, head to CPA Australia's tax time tools and resources page.  Additionally, you can head to the ATO website or download the ATO app.  The ATO also has online services and you can go on the ATO website to verify or report a scam or learn how to stay scam safe.  And you can phone the ATO on 1800 008 540.  Loving this episode?  Listen to more With Interest episodes and other CPA Australia podcasts on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/@CPAaustralia/podcasts  And don't forget to click subscribe to the channel for a wide range of content that will help your career.  CPA Australia publishes four podcasts, providing commentary and thought leadership across business, finance and accounting:  With Interest https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/with-interest  INTHEBLACK https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/intheblack  INTHEBLACK Out Loud https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/intheblack-outloud  Excel Tips https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/tools-and-resources/podcasts/excel-tips  Search for them in your podcast platform. Email the podcast team at [email protected]  Chapters:  00:00 Fraud Prevention Urgency: ATO, Tax Agents and Evolving Scam Risks 00:22 Intro - Jenny Wong - Tax Time 2026 00:39 Jade Hawkins (ATO) on the Counter Fraud Program Overview 01:08 What Is the ATO Counter Fraud Program? $187M Investment Explained 01:17 Proactive Fraud Detection: Real-Time Data, Analytics and System Protections (ATO) 03:20 ATO App Security Updates: How Taxpayers Can Stay Safe with myID 03:30 Real-Time Alerts, Account Locking and Fraud Prevention via ATO App 04:01 Case Study: Stopping Tax Refund Fraud Using ATO App Notifications 05:49 ATO "Verify Call" Feature: Detecting Scam Calls and Social Engineering 06:14 ATO App Tools for Taxpayers: myDeductions, Pre-Fill Data, Refund Tracking 07:25 How Tax Agents Can Protect Clients: myID, ATO App and Fraud Awareness 08:21 Cybersecurity Best Practices: MFA, Strong Passphrases, Software Updates 10:23 ATO Resources and Training: Tax Fraud Hub and Cybersecurity Modules 11:03 Current Scam Trends: PII Data Breaches and Identity Theft Risks (ATO Insights) 11:40 Fraud Targeting Tax Agents: Phishing, Malware and Credential Stuffing 13:48 What Happens If a Taxpayer Is Compromised? ATO Safeguards Explained 15:54 Final Advice from Jade Hawkins: Vigilance, ATO App and Strong Access Controls 16:23 Conclusion: Tax Time 2026 Fraud Risks and Key Takeaways for Agents