| Updated: 2/17/2009 9:29 pm |
Published: 2/15/2009 9:23 pm
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April 15th is right around the corner. That means your taxes will soon be due to Uncle Sam. That’s why the Better Business Bureau is sending out a warning: do your homework when it comes to choosing a tax preparer. In this Solving Problems consumer alert, FOX 23’s Douglas Clark tells us what you need to watch out for this tax season.
Carlos Thompson learned the hard way about the possible headaches of tax season. He’d been using the same tax preparer for ten years.
“They charged me quite a bit of money to do my taxes and that’s what ticked me off. I always thought it cost that much over the years and it doesn’t,” he says.
But others have fallen victim to even worse problems – scams.
“We have heard horror stories from consumers in the past,” says Rick Brinkley with the BBB.
Not only are some tax preparers out to steal your money, Brinkley says some are also after your personal information.
“We've also had a problem with consumers using a fly by night person preparing taxes. They dropped off their taxes, came back to pick them up, and the doors are locked people are gone tax records are gone," he says.
So how do you pick a reputable tax preparer? You can search the Better Business Bureau website to make sure the person or company has a good track record. Or you can get a referral from someone you trust. Then be sure to talk with the person before turning over your information, to spot any potential red flags, like offers that seem too good to be true.
“Be leery of anyone who promises you up front I can guarantee you a refund. They might be able to get you a refund on paper, but if they’ve lied doing it, you’re going to be left holding the bag,” says Brinkley.
The other option is using an electronic filing service.
“My plan is to do them online because you can get them done for free,” says filer Whitney Dilbeck. “You get your refund in a week or two. It’s pretty easy to do.”
You should also beware of email scams that are phishing for your personal information. Some scammers will send you an email that looks like it’s from the IRS, but it’s not. Remember, the IRS does not ask for personal or financial information via unsolicited e-mail. And you do not have to complete a special form to get a refund. If you’ve been the victim of a tax scam, you can call the IRS at: 1-800- 366-4484.
