The ATO is supporting Privacy Awareness Week (PAW) 2014, 4 -10 May.

YOUR IDENTITY IS IMPORTANT – PROTECT IT!

Confident your personal information is secure?

John Becker, Chief Information Security Officer at the Australian Taxation Office (ATO), says Privacy Awareness Week is a reminder to everyone to keep identity and other important personal information secure.

“Don’t allow your Tax File Number (TFN) and other crucial information to be easy pickings for identity thieves. So keep your TFN secure and don’t put it into your mobile phone or keep it written down in your wallet or purse.

“Those are the first places identity thieves target. They can make your life a misery, running up huge bills or committing tax or other fraud, leaving you to pick up the pieces.

“I would also stress that the ATO will never contact you to ask you to confirm your TFN, ABN, bank account or other financial or personal details.”

“For our key tips on identity crime, including protecting your Tax File Number (TFN) visit our site Protect your TFN and read Watch out for scams – protect yourself.

Also you can do the ID theft test ID theft tool to check how at risk you are.