TikTok has amplified trends such as dance challenges and celebrity reactions. But tax fraud? It’s true—users posted videos on how to (illegally) claim tax refunds from the Australian government, and the idea took off.
Recognized as the largest tax fraud in Australian history, the scheme was alarmingly simple. Individuals registered for an Australian Business Number, akin to a US EIN or a VAT number, and used it to claim goods and services tax refunds through a government portal. Astonishingly, the Australian Tax Office disbursed A$4.6 billion ($2.97 billion) in fraudulent refunds to 56,000 claimants, each receiving around A$50,000.
The method ...
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