Despite being told from a young age to be aware of internet hoaxes, sometimes they can be scarily convincing. I found myself in a situation earlier in the year where I nearly fell for an internet hoax.

I received an email from the “Australian Taxation Office” notifying me that I had unclaimed tax to my name, as my last tax return was calculated incorrectly. The ATO letterhead and font and the wording of the email was very convincing. There weren’t any obvious signs of a scam such as send us your credit details to receive your money.

I was almost convinced to sign up for my free money, until my boyfriend suggested I double check with the ATO over the phone that the email wasn’t a hoax. When I called the ATO, they confirmed that the email was a scam.

I was lucky that proactive thinking and actions were taken before a serious problem was created. So how do we know what is valid and what isn’t on the internet? We don’t, but one thing I learnt is it is always best to double check.