Tax refund agents are under scrutiny by the Commerce Commission after complaints that their websites and marketing practises may be breaching the Fair Trading Act.
The commission has written to 30 personal tax summary intermediaries who process income tax refunds for salary and wage earners and typically operate in temporary locations at shopping centres or on the internet.
The commission says its investigation revealed that some agents may be failing to adequately disclose what it costs consumers to use their services, obliging consumers to use their service in future years and making misleading claims about turnaround times.
It says it will continue to monitor the industry and will take action against any agents that fail to comply with the Fair Trading Act.
