Complaints investigated by the Ombudsman identified concerns with the Australian Taxation Office’s (ATO) response when Tax File Numbers (TFNs) are compromised or TFN records are incorrectly linked. Three key areas of concern are the ATO’s:

• failure to respond appropriately to problems arising from compromised TFNs
• inadequate policy oversight and recognition of the systemic issues demonstrated by these complaints
• inadequate communication with taxpayers.

The Ombudsman’s report expresses concerns about how the Australian Tax Office has handled complaints about compromised Tax File Numbers (TFNs).

It examines eight case studies where taxpayers’ TFNs had been compromised or incorrectly linked to another person’s TFN.