Beware of scams

Tasplan has received reports from members and other super funds of COVID-19 related scams. 

These scams involve people stealing personal information or super account details to get access to your super or by offering unnecessary services to help you access your super early for a fee. Members are being approached through cold calls, emails and text messages where people are asking for super and bank account information such as username, account numbers, password, account balances and date of birth.

It’s important to note that the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is managing the new early release process through its MyGov website. There’s no need to involve a third party and there are no fees involved. If you’d like more information about the new early release measures, please read the government’s Economic response to the coronavirus – Early access to superannuation fact sheet which includes some examples to help you further understand this temporary change.

Tasplan encourages members to be cautious about emails, text messages or calls they receive regarding their super accounts, especially in relation to helping with the early release of super. If you’re in doubt about the authenticity of an email, text message or phone call, please delete immediately or hang up and contact your super fund directly.

Protect yourself from identity theft

Some of the ways you can protect your identity include:

• not giving your personal details to people you don't know including usernames and passwords
• securing your mail and destroying unnecessary personal information
• checking that your contact details on your super account are correct so that we may contact you in the event of a suspicious transaction
• regularly checking your super and bank accounts for unusual transactions and reviewing your credit report to ensure your name isn’t being used by someone else to borrow money or run up debts.

If you believe you've sent personal or financial information about your super to a scam email address or a cold call, or entered it into a scam website and are worried that your identity may have been stolen, please call us on 1800 005 166 or email us at info@tasplan.com.au.

Scams we're currently aware of

• The Australian Federal Police are investigating fraud in relation to the early access to super scheme. The ATO has reported that people have had their details used illegally in a bid to scam the scheme. Super fund members have received text messages advising their claims for early release have been approved when they hadn’t actually applied. 
  
  The ATO has reported that the attempts have been stopped and the impacted individuals are being contacted. They have stressed that the ATO’s online systems have not been compromised or hacked.
  If you’ve received a similar text message, but haven’t made an application for early access to your super, please contact your super fund immediately. 

• Emails claiming to be from the ATO are doing the rounds telling people they’ve been approved for an early release of their super and to ‘click on the link below to enter bank account details’. It’s important to know that the ATO will never ask for your bank account details. They will only capture these details in the secure myGov portal.
  
  
• Tasplan members have reported receiving phone calls from businesses offering financial advice for a fee in relation to their super. Although these aren’t necessarily scams, it’s always important to find the right financial planner for you. For tips on choosing a financial planner, please visit MoneySmart.