Complaint Review: JK Harris

My wife and I had filed for an extention on our income tax return and forgot to file our taxes with the IRS. We thought that since we had paid when we filed our extention that we would be due a return when we actually filed. We procrastinated and an IRS summons came to my mailbox. I was told by the IRS agent that if I filed my taxes in 60 days, I would not need to go through the summons or an audit and that the IRS only wanted our official numbers and not the estimate. At this point to get our stuff filed quickly, I decided to get some help filling out our taxes.

I then saw the JK Harris commercial on TV and decided to call. I explained my problem to the guy over the phone and he stated that JK Harris could sit down and help me file my back taxes. I went for the appointment and the consultant said "Let me look at your numbers." After 60 seconds of looking and writing down his own numbers he stated that it looked bad for us with us owing the IRS at least $25,000. He asked me if I could get the $25K and I said I'd need to cash in my 401K to do this.

It was then that he asked me exactly how much cash do I have on hand right now? I stated that I had about $6000.00 He proceeded to tell me that it was all going to be okay because he could file an OIC if I paid them just $3900.00 and the IRS would only want $3000.00 from me. He stated that our future was in his hands and that he could save us. Since this was a tax professional, I trusted him and signed over my $3900.00 that day. He stated that without full payment they couldn't start on the case and that the IRS summons was coming up soon.

After they got my money they told me to fill out some forms that were useless for me to turn in my taxes, but were for the OIC. I called the IRS agent and told him to deal with JK Harris just like the consultant said to do so they would get off my back. Once he heard the name JK Harris he sighed and recommended that I reconsider not filing before the summons. JK Harris told me that we would need to do battle with the IRS. The IRS agent was actually very polite, understanding and very helpful in pointing me to good help. I know I didn't believe it myself.

I got no response back after calling JK Harris so I drove in to Jackson Hewitt, who went through all my receipts, and numbers and filed my taxes for me within a couple of hours for about $200.00 I filed my taxes and found that I had a $7800.00 refund coming back minus about $220.00 for my procrastination with uncle Sam. I also avoided needing to go to the summons since the IRS only wanted me to file my numbers.

Furious, I went back to JK Harris only to be told that I would need to call the 1800 number to get a refund. I called the number and explained that I was due a refund because of their consultant intentionally scamming me. I was told I would be refunded in full. I called weekly for 3 months and needed to send a letter by certified mail before I finally got my money back which they got to use for months before giving it back.

Moral of this story is the Texas District Attorney's office needs to make sure these guys are not allowed to do business or advertise in Texas. They have hurt a lot of people.

Jason
Pinehurst, Texas
U.S.A.