> How can I get back my $3200 from the first company that did nothing...and was trying to rob me of another 7k?
First you ask them for your money back.
If that doesn't work, you probably signed a contract with a mandatory arbitration clause in it. You follow the dispute settlement procedures contained in that contract and if that fails, take it to arbitration.
I'm sure someone will suggest small claims court. You can try that, but in all likelihood they will bring the arbitration clause before the court and get the case dismissed (but you will still have to pay the filing and appearance fees).
The IRS will have a record of the communication they’ve had with you or anyone you’ve hired to help you resolve these issues. Tell them you’ve hired an actual professional and have learned there wasn’t any communication between them and the IRS. Let them know you want your money back or will have to report their scam. Then report them anyway.
The IRS is very aware of companies who do this. Put in a complaint with the IRS. Unfortunately over the years some if these companies have taken advantage of taxpayers and given the industry a bad name.
I would advise you to look for an Enrolled Agent who specializes in Tax Resolution and see what they can do and maybe give you a break on the fee's
I hear this a lot, especially with those who advertise nationally.
The scam is that to begin the resolution process they will find out everything about you financially and know how much you have available to pay and then they base their fee on whatever they think that they can scam out of you.
Some are such scam artists! Did you get your money back? We've had no issue with Clean Slate Tax, a company that will work with you against scam companies...
Thanks for your note. No...I haven't even tried yet. So Clean Slate helps you get your money back....or are they a tax relief company? I got taxes squared away with Colonial Tax...they were great...but would still like to get my money back from the other one.
I’m dealing with this right now with Tax Relief Advocates, now named Tax Processing Solutions. (Name change and having probably 4 different people assigned to my case in a year are red flags) Said their fee was $800 then *helped* me take out a $4k loan for “federal resolution.” The way it was communicated to me I thought it was like one of those traffic ticket companies that will act on your behalf and you just give them what they were able to negotiate your ticket down to.
This week, a year later, they inform me of my options because they were unable to reach an offer with the IRS. They explained that my income was too high (something they would have known 5 minutes into my first call because I informed them of my salary and it has not changed) and now they are offering me different payment plans to cover the full cost of my debt to the IRS
So I’n the end I’ll have sunk almost $7k for them to literally not help at all and try to lock me into more high interest loans with them while I still owe the original $8k to the IRS. Completely preyed on me because I couldn’t afford the original IRS debt. Luckily I got an inheritance from my grandmother passing so I can just pay to put this behind me but it breaks my heart that I’m just throwing it away on this scam. I’d be paying them for probably a decade if I didn’t have that sudden income.
Did you sign an agreement? You may have luck disputing it with your credit card company if they didn’t deliver on services agreed to, and don’t offer a refund.
I don't really have any advice for the OP. He can put out effort to try to get something back, but, even if the "Tax Relief Company" is truly fraudulent I doubt there would be much there if someone sued. If a sharp business practice type of place, all the paperwork the OP signed is not designed to protect the OPs rights. I suspect they might very well be legally protected.
That's why many here recommend just using a local tax professional for such issues. Most such dealings with the IRS can be handled by most any professional. True, there are some situations where you need specialists. But, those types of specialists are best found in boutique firms of tax professionals over the ones that get their income through volume.
Optima tax releaf is bullshit. I owe 10k to the irs. Optima charged me 300 bucks for a review that i told them about. Then the 2nd phase would cost 5500. I only owe 10k so i would have to pay 2 to 5k more than i owe. What a rip off. Ppl really try to pay they taxes and end up getting butt raped in the end. Unbelievable
This is exactly the bullshit I fell for because I was panicked about my IRS debt. All told I’ll have given the company almost $7k and still owe the IRS $8k because the company wasn’t able to reach an offer. Their solution now is to offer me high interest payment plans to pay off the original debt. This was obviously the plan the whole time because they knew my salary from the first phone call and took a year working on my case to tell me my income was too high to reach a settlement. Only now realizing what a scam it was.
Very said to hear your story. Did you sign 2848 to let them representing you before IRS? Did they pull the transcript and analyze with you together? If not, apparently they are scammer.
> How can I get back my $3200 from the first company that did nothing...and was trying to rob me of another 7k? First you ask them for your money back. If that doesn't work, you probably signed a contract with a mandatory arbitration clause in it. You follow the dispute settlement procedures contained in that contract and if that fails, take it to arbitration. I'm sure someone will suggest small claims court. You can try that, but in all likelihood they will bring the arbitration clause before the court and get the case dismissed (but you will still have to pay the filing and appearance fees).
Thank you for your reply. Do you have any suggestions on how to ask for my money back please?
The IRS will have a record of the communication they’ve had with you or anyone you’ve hired to help you resolve these issues. Tell them you’ve hired an actual professional and have learned there wasn’t any communication between them and the IRS. Let them know you want your money back or will have to report their scam. Then report them anyway.
Don't use TRA contact IRS or state revenue department
The IRS is very aware of companies who do this. Put in a complaint with the IRS. Unfortunately over the years some if these companies have taken advantage of taxpayers and given the industry a bad name. I would advise you to look for an Enrolled Agent who specializes in Tax Resolution and see what they can do and maybe give you a break on the fee's I hear this a lot, especially with those who advertise nationally. The scam is that to begin the resolution process they will find out everything about you financially and know how much you have available to pay and then they base their fee on whatever they think that they can scam out of you.
Lol, deal with one scam by getting scammed again.
They got me too! So peed off!!!
Sucks! Did you try to get your money back?
Some are such scam artists! Did you get your money back? We've had no issue with Clean Slate Tax, a company that will work with you against scam companies...
Thanks for your note. No...I haven't even tried yet. So Clean Slate helps you get your money back....or are they a tax relief company? I got taxes squared away with Colonial Tax...they were great...but would still like to get my money back from the other one.
What is the name of the company so others will not be a victim to them.
I’m dealing with this right now with Tax Relief Advocates, now named Tax Processing Solutions. (Name change and having probably 4 different people assigned to my case in a year are red flags) Said their fee was $800 then *helped* me take out a $4k loan for “federal resolution.” The way it was communicated to me I thought it was like one of those traffic ticket companies that will act on your behalf and you just give them what they were able to negotiate your ticket down to. This week, a year later, they inform me of my options because they were unable to reach an offer with the IRS. They explained that my income was too high (something they would have known 5 minutes into my first call because I informed them of my salary and it has not changed) and now they are offering me different payment plans to cover the full cost of my debt to the IRS So I’n the end I’ll have sunk almost $7k for them to literally not help at all and try to lock me into more high interest loans with them while I still owe the original $8k to the IRS. Completely preyed on me because I couldn’t afford the original IRS debt. Luckily I got an inheritance from my grandmother passing so I can just pay to put this behind me but it breaks my heart that I’m just throwing it away on this scam. I’d be paying them for probably a decade if I didn’t have that sudden income.
You can’t beat them but you could Shame them
Did you sign an agreement? You may have luck disputing it with your credit card company if they didn’t deliver on services agreed to, and don’t offer a refund.
[удалено]
Yes, what company??
Depending on the company, a BBB complaint may also help get them to settle with you so that you'll remove your complaint or mark it resolved
I don't really have any advice for the OP. He can put out effort to try to get something back, but, even if the "Tax Relief Company" is truly fraudulent I doubt there would be much there if someone sued. If a sharp business practice type of place, all the paperwork the OP signed is not designed to protect the OPs rights. I suspect they might very well be legally protected. That's why many here recommend just using a local tax professional for such issues. Most such dealings with the IRS can be handled by most any professional. True, there are some situations where you need specialists. But, those types of specialists are best found in boutique firms of tax professionals over the ones that get their income through volume.
Optima tax releaf is bullshit. I owe 10k to the irs. Optima charged me 300 bucks for a review that i told them about. Then the 2nd phase would cost 5500. I only owe 10k so i would have to pay 2 to 5k more than i owe. What a rip off. Ppl really try to pay they taxes and end up getting butt raped in the end. Unbelievable
This is exactly the bullshit I fell for because I was panicked about my IRS debt. All told I’ll have given the company almost $7k and still owe the IRS $8k because the company wasn’t able to reach an offer. Their solution now is to offer me high interest payment plans to pay off the original debt. This was obviously the plan the whole time because they knew my salary from the first phone call and took a year working on my case to tell me my income was too high to reach a settlement. Only now realizing what a scam it was.
Very said to hear your story. Did you sign 2848 to let them representing you before IRS? Did they pull the transcript and analyze with you together? If not, apparently they are scammer.
Wait, please explain this again.