E-Tax Scam

[lil' starlette]

Hello!
I have just started work at the ATO and have been told about a trap that if you google E-tax to do your return this year, you are actually employing an online tax agent called "E-TAX" to do your return, it costs around $80.

So if you want to do the real E-tax its on the ATO website and it's free.

I just wanted to warn people as they said heaps of people use the google way thinking its the ATO- and I wanted to try and save a few people the money.

[ogsmum]

hey how hard is it do your tax on the ATO website? is it difficult - as in you'd need some prior experience or is it user-friendly? costs so much through our accountants...

[Oblena]

thanks :)

[grass is always greener]

hey how hard is it do your tax on the ATO website? is it difficult - as in you'd need some prior experience or is it user-friendly? costs so much through our accountants...
Its really quiet simple. I did my mums for her last year and it was so much easier than filling out any paper work.

Thanks so much for that lil' starlette. I hope no one gets sucked into paying for something that is offered as a free service elsewhere.

[kas3]

We've done our taxes online for the last couple of years. Had no problem at all. Ours isn't very complicated though.

[Cordelia]

I've done it for the last 6 years on etax - love it. so easy. things are starting to get a biut more complicated for us tho so not sure how I'll go this year. (home business, family assistance etc.)

[Jaileth]

Thanks for letting us know! Have been using etax for the last few years and its so much easier.

[surya]

I was an accountant at e-tax accountants. It is true that many people get misguided by the name and they register with e-tax not knowing they signed the agreement as its called a digital signature.And if the accountant has started working on it they get charged for it.I was the only indian working as a new graduate among the 9 graduates who are from Asian countries. Since the work pressure was a bit high i wasnt able to reach their targets.i had to miss my breakfast and lunch to achieve their targets and sit late in office and working 6 days a week.well for me it has been 7days a week cos i knew this was a contract job and wont last long. And finally i get fired but there were people who didnt reach half the target.I believe i did enough work and dont deserve this. Unfortunately the new graduates strive hard to meet their target as they need to get the experiance. i am voicing against racism fraud and pressurising employees.

[Ys_Woman]

Hello!
I have just started work at the ATO and have been told about a trap that if you google E-tax to do your return this year, you are actually employing an online tax agent called "E-TAX" to do your return, it costs around $80.
Thank you so much for the heads up on this:yelclap:. Hopefully it saves a few ppl.

Surya: How awful, and in this day and age too! Who would want to use them now if that is the case. Hope you find a better employer.

Amy:)

[meggs]

I got caught out with this but never again....

[JorBai]

Hello!
I have just started work at the ATO and have been told about a trap that if you google E-tax to do your return this year, you are actually employing an online tax agent called "E-TAX" to do your return, it costs around $80.

So if you want to do the real E-tax its on the ATO website and it's free.

I just wanted to warn people as they said heaps of people use the google way thinking its the ATO- and I wanted to try and save a few people the money.

Oh Lil starlette, Thank you so so so much for posting this! DH is gonna do ours on E Tax for the first time ever this year. I will let him know. :hugs::hugs::hugs:

[aje001]

I'm sorry, but I don't see how this is a scam or some kind of fraud. Sure, they're being creative about their business name (and their google advertising), but it's quite clear that it's a business, and not a free Australian Government service.

There is nothing on the home page (http://www.etax.com.au) that suggests that this is an Australian Government service, free or otherwise. In fact, when you click on the start button, it says in bold:


Remember, no payment is required until your refund is received - it's your choice. Our prices start at $38.50 for certain categories of taxpayers and $53.90 for basic returns.

IMHO, Anyone who has used this product (and yes, it's a product offered by a legitimate business) should be well aware of what it is. Not reading the screen properly is not an excuse for not knowing.

[Kathee]

Hello!
I have just started work at the ATO and have been told about a trap that if you google E-tax to do your return this year, you are actually employing an online tax agent called "E-TAX" to do your return, it costs around $80.

So if you want to do the real E-tax its on the ATO website and it's free.

I just wanted to warn people as they said heaps of people use the google way thinking its the ATO- and I wanted to try and save a few people the money.

Thanks for the tip, I usually use the program you download from the ATO website, but I just googled it last year. Arrg mistake, but they were helpful tho I guess and helped me claim things I would normally forget. So they probally made the money it cost. :)

[overitand36]

I'm sorry, but I don't see how this is a scam or some kind of fraud. Sure, they're being creative about their business name (and their google advertising), but it's quite clear that it's a business, and not a free Australian Government service.

There is nothing on the home page (http://www.etax.com.au) that suggests that this is an Australian Government service, free or otherwise. In fact, when you click on the start button, it says in bold:



IMHO, Anyone who has used this product (and yes, it's a product offered by a legitimate business) should be well aware of what it is. Not reading the screen properly is not an excuse for not knowing.

:iagree: no scam just very cleaver marketing if not ATO and ASIC would have pulled it down before it even got off the ground

[aliasmel]

umm...I dont think its a scam... people must be blind if they cant tell the diffrence

I got them to do my tax last year...bo I WASNT roped in.... And I found them wonderful,they got my max tax refund and checked it all before it was sent off....

[RoarsomeMum]

I am blind then.. I paid $50 both times (last year and year before)

I had no idea Etax was supposed to be free or any idea that it was a Government service.. I just thought it was a quick way to do it.. Peeps round the office were raving about it so I googled, logged in, paid and lodged.

Ah Well! I learned something new! (2 things actually!)

1) Etax is free and available on the ATO website
2) I am blind!

(More excited about the first one!)

[mimsie]

I think the name is there in the hope that people assume it's the same thing, as some people have. It's not exactly a scam - they really will do your tax and get your return back to you (I've used them before) but it's misleading and I would say intentionally named that way.

[*Bec&Bel*]

umm...I dont think its a scam... people must be blind if they cant tell the diffrence

I got them to do my tax last year...bo I WASNT roped in.... And I found them wonderful,they got my max tax refund and checked it all before it was sent off....

Our tax was done by them last year, very helpful and fast with processing it all. Atleast with that online one you can make sure its all done right, and if any errors you can fix them easily, where as with the government one once you click that button theres no going back to fix up any errors. Not to mention if you need to ask ATO any q's there not really helpful and not to mention hard to get a hold of through phoning them.
We decided to use the free one this year, don't think i'll use it again, but just wanted to also point out they are no scam.