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American Tax Relief

4801 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles

Joyce of Sykesville, MD February 2, 2009

Joyce of Sykesville MD (02/02/09)
May husband passed away suddenly in November 2008. I contacted American Tax Relief on 1/7/09 after finding evidence that my husband had not filed some of his tax returns. Since he was coming out of backruptcy after a previous marriage, we filed separate returns. I spoke with Chris H or ATR who promised they could resolve my husband's tax situation. I paid 8500 through a bank draft but never received any disclosure forms. I kept calling Mr. H and asking for some paperwork or documentation.

On 1/28/09, I asked for a refund only to be told that they did not give refunds. He then proceeded to tell me how he was trying to be nice about it and that he needed and additional 21,000 for attorney fees since my husband owed 400,000. I told him that I did not have any more money and that I was not responsible for my husband's tax burden before we were married and that I believed the burden to be excessive. Mr. H kept saying that the paperwork was in the mail and that if I contacted the IRS the amount would be larger.

To this day I still have not received any disclosure forms, contract or anything in writing stating that they do not give refunds, or exactly what their services cover. I believe ATR preyed on me because of my vulnerability after losing my husband of only 6 years. They should be sued and made to repay each client WITH interest. Losing my husband has been tough enough without having to deal with ATR representatives who are nothing more than crooks.

Since I'm out of 8500, I have no funds to pay the IRS. I could have given that amount to the IRS. I have spoken with the IRS and my tax burden should be much less than the 400,000 that ATR quoted.

Roger of Ballwin, MO January 24, 2009

Roger of Ballwin MO (01/24/09)
On November 8, 2007 I made one of the biggest mistakes of my life. I talked with Chris H from American Tax Relief (ATR). I had a significant tax issue that I couldnt solve myself. I fell for the ads that American Tax Relief has on TV and called them. Chris informed me that ATR could solve the issue for pennies on the dollar. He said all I had to do was send him 12,500 and ATR would take care of the rest. Just two months later without any correspondence in between Chris called me to inform me ATR needed another 8,500 to upgrade their service.

Then just one month later Chris called again and claimed another 8,500 was needed to once again upgrade their service. Again there had been no other correspondence in between the requests. I was desperate and still believed his promises so I paid the additional amount. Fast forward to today. ATR has had exactly one meeting with the IRS on my behalf and they botched that one. In working with Melissa I supplied her every document she needed for the meeting. During the meeting ATR was advised that there were other filings that I needed to have completed so I was put into a non-compliant status. ATR didnt advise me of that either because they didnt know or they wanted to upgrade their service again. I didnt give them a chance because I fired them yesterday. Perhaps you can add my letter to the voluminous stack you already have on ATR. Maybe someday they will be held accountable for their actions.

David of Cayce, SC December 3, 2008

David of Cayce SC (12/03/08)
I own and manage a small business, and interact with the public on a daily basis. I thought I'd dealt with some low life's, but these guys are without question the worst group of schiester rip-off's that I've ever had to deal with. Some months ago, I contacted ATR about pending issues with the IRS, and explained IN FULL DETAIL my situation. The 'sales' agent (Robert) told me that this would not be an issue - that they would take care of my situation and would most likely be able to handle it in entirety. He went to great lengths to promise that it would NOT be an issue, that they in fact WOULD be able to get my fines reduced/eliminated, and that if that were NOT to happen (and if they couldn't help me), they would close out and not charge me full rate (8500)..

I gave them a credit card for the first half of the charge (4250.00), on the agreement that they would charge this, contact the IRS, and determine what they could. They were to also immediately mail me a set of papers and documents, which I would need to fill out. After 10 days and 2 phone calls I never received these papers. Now, my situation was quite urgent, as I had communicated. In fact after 3 days I called in to find out why I hadn't heard.

After 14 days still no papers. I needed some action with the IRS, as I was under threat by a lawyer. 2 further calls. no paperwork. No return phone calls. AFTER FOUR WEEKS, I had my CPA represent me to the IRS and moved forward. I called ATR,got more run-around. Was told they were i motion. When I told them I was cancelling the transaction,I was told that was not possible,as I was contracted and couldn't cancel. They then began calling me repeatedly. Robert and another agent (don't remember off the top of my head) told me I had lied to them, that I hadn't disclosed my situation, made threats against me (that my supposed misrepresentation was illegal, blah blah blah), and that I wouldn't get any refund and no furter help from them.

Fortunately I hadn't wired the funds (as they had originally demanded!), but had a credit card company pay them (note only the first half was paid). several days ago I checked my credit card account. Guess what - - these guys had charged me (WITHOUT AGREEMENT ON MY BEHALF) another 4250.00. FURTHERMORE, My credit card has had 2 more unauthorized charges in the past 4 weeks. (please note that this card has NOT been used for ANY OTHER online or phone purchase in 3 years, nor have I ever had unauthorized charges in this time!) My credit card company is investigating this currently.

Meanwhile..... I faxed the company this morning, with a note reiterating two things from my prior phone conversation: 1. any further contact is unathorized, not allowed, they do NOT represent me at all to ANYONE, and 2. do not contact me except by fax or mail (do NOT phone me again). Guess what. these clowns called me ON MY CELL PHONE not 5 minutes after getting the fax. I do believe that is a felony. I didn't answer my cell phone, but Robert left me a nice voicemail.. Then after 3 minutes, he called me at my office. I had the forethought to record that conversation, during which he agreed that he KNEW I had legally warned him not to contact me again, and that he did so anyway. He then continued to attempt to coerce me over the charges, claiming I had received paperwork from them, that I was negligent, and supposedly I was somehow legally to blame for this, and that I still owed them even more funds! I am out of a lot of time dealing with these guys, and quite possibly I may be in deep water with the IRS, due to their negligence. There is not a chance in hell I would recommend these clowns to anyone.

Cora of Glen Allen, WA December 3, 2008

Cora of Glen Allen WA (12/03/08)
They charged me 12,000.00 for 11,000.00 taxes owed. Now I cannot pay my taxes. I still had to pay an attorney in Virginia to do my taxes and he got the reduction not ATR.

I cannot pay my taxes because they took all of my money.

Kevin of Ridgedale, MO November 14, 2008

Kevin of Ridgedale MO (11/14/08)
hired american tax relief back in 2004..they promised me that my buisness taxes would be settled for pennies on the dollar..400,000.00 inbuisness taxes which these were fraudulent due to sell of buisness. they said i ieed to give them 10,000. i agreed to give them 5,000.00 down but they would not get the other 5,000.00 until we had a resolution...i received my packet in the mail and filled it out complete and mailed it back. didnt here from them so i begin calling, which was a run around everytime i called.. couldnt get them to return calls. 30 days into it i noticed they hit my credit card for 5,000.00 ... never got any resolution. lost 10,000.00 and still owe taxes. which im still fighting. when can the government step in and cut the nuts off these guys and put there ass in prison...? there just seems to be no justice in america...

lost 10,000.00 i want it back

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