ATO: Aussies need to beware credit card fraudsters

As the Australian Tax Office (ATO) prepares to issue people with one-off payments, consumers have been reminded of the importance of protecting their credit card details.

The office suggests that as taxpayers are set to receive up to $900 as a part of the government's financial stimulus package, the interest surrounding such investment may see people become the target of credit card fraudsters, the Australian Associated Press reports.

Michael D'Ascenzo, tax commissioner, suggests that people may receive emails from scammers - purporting to be from the ATO - asking them to give personal information, such as their credit card details, otherwise they will be charged when receiving the payment.

"We are worried that unscrupulous people will use the interest surrounding the payments as an opportunity to try the usual scams,'' he states, adding that as the tax office never asks for personal information such as credit card details, any messages received that claim to be from the ATO should be deleted immediately.

ANZ Bank recently warned people to be aware of a computer virus which through sending a fake form purporting to be from the bank attempts to gain hold of people's credit card details.