JK Harris has again found itself on the wrong side of the law by promising benefits that it was unable to provide. Despite agreeing to a 2008 settlement in which JK Harris agreed to change its advertising, the firm has again been slapped with contempt allegations for signing up four West Virginia residents even though they did not qualify for the advertised “Offer in Compromise” program.
The 2008 settlement was agreed to after 18 states sued the tax representation firm for false advertising and deceptive trade practices. In that action, $1.5 million in restitution was paid.
West Virginia Attorney General Darrell McGraw has completed an agreement with JK Harris in which $14,180 will be returned to four residents who were enrolled by the firm following the 2008 settlement who failed to receive the tax relief that was promised them.
The 2008 settlement was on top of a 2006 class action lawsuit in which JK Harris has been unable to fully make restitution. That $6 million settlement has been restructured to allow JK Harris more time to come up with the money.
The Internal Revenue Service often urges struggling tax filers to negotiate directly with the agency rather than spending thousands of dollars on expensive attorneys. Their “Offer in Compromise” program and “innocent spouse” program are just 2 ways that a tax filer may be able to qualify for tax relief without falling victim to a tax relief scam.
JK Harris is just one of several tax relief firms that have been punished for breaking state and federal laws. These consumer protection laws prohibit promising clients specific results when many of these clients do not actually qualify for those programs.
If you do owe back taxes and cannot afford to pay, you should contact the Internal Revenue Service to see what your options are. In some cases, a trusted attorney may be able to help you navigate the process. However, you are unlikely to actually receive tax relief by going through a national firm that advertises heavily. This is especially true if it is a firm that has been repeatedly warned and punished by state and federal regulators for fraudulent and deceptive trade practices!
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