The ATO has advised that it is using SMS and emails for promotional and information purposes.
They say, if individual taxpayers receive an SMS or email claiming to be from the ATO, they can check the list of the ATO’s current activities to verify that is genuine.
ATO messages will never ask for you to reply by SMS and/or email to provide personal information such as your personal Tax File Number (TFN) or your personal bank details.
Current notifications could include:
• Advice your application has been received
• A reminder to provide documents
• Reminders to meet the ATO obligations to avoid penalties, including:
o Lodgement of outstanding tax returns, annual returns and/or business activity statements
o Payment of debt, and
o Payment of instalments as negotiated with the ATO
• Industry advices
• Promotion of a product or service the ATO offers (myTax, e-tax, myGov and similar)
• Notifications of system outages.
Ref: ATO website – Online services