Australian bank warns of tax‑refund scams as financial year ends

NGM Group, the parent of Greater and Newcastle Permanent banks, has issued a consumer alert ahead of the end‑June to early‑July period, warning that scammers are likely to exploit tax‑refund expectations and end‑of‑financial‑year sales. Fraud operations manager Jason Veltruski said the timing creates “a perfect environment because people were expecting to hear from banks, government agencies, retailers and delivery services,” making fraudulent messages appear genuine.

The warning lists common scams – fake tax‑refund texts, bank impersonation calls, bogus EOFY sale websites and parcel‑delivery fraud – and stresses that urgency is a key red flag. Victims are urged to verify communications independently and can report incidents to the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission via Scamwatch.