MORE TO REFER -- REPORT ON A
TAX PREPARER.
HE IS
ACCUSED OF FILING BOGUS
RETURNS THAT GOT SOME IN HOT
WATERS IN SOME OVER THE
GOVERNMENT THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.
THE PHONE STARTED RINGING AND
THE CALLS WERE FROM OTHER
CUSTOMERS, WHO SAY THE SAME
HAPPEN TO THEM.
HERE IS BARRY SIMMS.
BARRY
SIMMS: THEY ARE TRYING
TO HANDLE THE ISSUE.
THEY RECEIVED TAX-FREE FUNDS
THAT TOLD MORE THAN $20,000 AND
THE STATE OF MARYLAND AUDIT THEM
AND DEMANDED THEY YOU BACK
$12,000.
THE IMPACT IS DEVASTATING.
I'M TRY TO RESOLVE IT AND GET
IT SITUATED.
-- I AM TRYING TO RESOLVE IT AND
GET IT SITUATED.
IT IS A PROBLEM.
THERE IS SIMMS: -- BARRY
SIMMS:
HIS COMPANY, L A TAX SERVICES.
-- LA TAX
SERVICES.
CLIENTS WE TALKED TO CLAIM HE
IGNORE THE REQUEST TO REVIEW THE
RETURNS BEFORE THEY WERE
ELECTRONICALLY FILED.
THEY ALL SAY THEY LATER FOUND
OUT HE HAD PUT DOWN THINGS THAT
WERE NOT TRUE.
LIKE BOGUS BUSINESSES AND
EXPENSES.
THEY CLAIM THE RETURNS WERE
SUBMITTED WITH THE WORDS "SELF
PREPARED."
HOW COULD SOMEBODY DO THIS TO
ME?
REPORTER: SHE GOT
A REFUND AND
GOT AUDITED.
SHE TOOK HER CONCERNS TO THE IRS
AND LEARNED HER RETURN LISTED
BUSINESSES AND OTHER INCOME
INVESTMENTS THAT ARE BOGUS.
SHE OWES $4500.
IT WAS SHOT AND IT HURT MY
FEELINGS.
I'M A SINGLE PARENT TRYING TO
MAKE IT.
ROBERTS SAYS THE IRS SHOWED
HER WHERE HER REFUND HAD GONE
INTO A BANK ACCOUNT THAT IS NOT
HERS.
SHE DOES NOT KNOW WHO IT IS.
SHE SUSPECTS HE TOOK A
PERCENTAGE.
OTHER CLIENTS SAID THAT IS HOW
HE WOULD GET PAID.
WE TRY TO SPEAK WITH HIM.
I AM BARRY SIMMS.
I WANT TALK WITH A
TAX-PREPARATION.
CAN WE TALK YOU?
HE DENIED DOING ANYTHING WRONG.
WE ASKED WHY HIS CLIENTS RETURNS
WERE LISTED AS "SELF PREPARED."
HE REFERRED US TO HIS ATTORNEYS.
IN THE MIDDLE OF
TAX SEASON, THE
DOORS WERE LOCKED AND THE LIGHTS
WERE OUT.
WE WENT TO HIS HOME AND NO ONE
CAME TO THE DOOR.
WE DISCOVERED HE IS NOT A
REGISTERED TAX PREPARER.
THEY ARE INVESTIGATING THE
ALLEGED TAX-PREPARATION
PRACTICES.
IT IS
NOT RIGHT.
IT IS A BAD FEELING.
NOBODY WANTS TO OH NOBODY.
-- OWE NOBODY.
THEY ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR
TAXES AND ARE PAYING THE PRICE
FOR WHATEVER WAS CLAIMED ON THE
RETURNS.
I AM BARRY SIMMS.
ANCHOR: 11 NEWS HAS SPOKEN WITH
THE ATTORNEY AND HE SAYS HE DOES
NOT REPRESENT HIM IN TAX
MATTERS.
THE IRS WILL NOT SAY
IF IT IS
INVESTIGATING.
YOU CAN SEE THE PREVIOUS STORY