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The 18 states that settled with JK Harris:

http://www.examiner.com/a-1438895~18...lina_Headlines


Condor

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Tax-relief company to repay cheated Ohioans
Friday, June 13, 2008 3:11 AM
By Tracy Turner

THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH
A company that promised to settle consumers' tax obligations to the
Internal Revenue Service for "pennies on the dollar" instead will
refund consumers $1.5 million.

JK Harris & Co., a South Carolina-based tax-relief company, has agreed
to stop misleading its customers and repay them for services not
rendered, the Ohio attorney general's office said yesterday.

JK Harris was sued by attorneys general from 18 states, including
Ohio, after it was found that the company didn't get consumers the tax
relief it promised.

Another South Carolina-based company, Professional Fee Financial
Associates, also was sued for loaning consumers money to pay for JK
Harris' services but not letting them out of their loans once it was
determined that JK Harris would not be able to help, the lawsuit said.

Neither company returned calls seeking comment.

According to the suit, JK Harris would fill out IRS Offer in
Compromise forms for consumers. The company would charge consumers for
this service before finding out whether they qualify for a tax
reduction and, in some cases, even after realizing the consumer
didn't.

The company also collected fees in advance and falsely promised that
the services would be provided by "ex-IRS agents," the suit said.

The settlement "means (consumers) will get restitution," said Nadine
Ballard, chief of the Consumer Protection Section for the Ohio
attorney general's office.

About 90 Ohio consumers could be eligible for a partial refund. To be
considered, consumers must file a complaint with the Ohio attorney
general by mid-September by calling 1-877-244-6446 or going online to
www.ag4ohio.gov. The amount will be determined by the number of people
who apply.

tturner[at]dispatch.com

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<< ------------------------------------------------------- > << The foregoing was not intended or written to be used, > << nor can it used, for the purpose of avoiding penalties > << that may be imposed upon the taxpayer. > << > << The Charter and the Guidelines for submitting posts > << to this newsgroup as well as our anti-spamming policy > << are at www.asktax.org. > << Copyright (2007) - All rights reserved. > << ------------------------------------------------------- >