Complain about a product or service

Expresstaxrefund.com

Scott of Koloa HI (04/15/08)
This company rides the rails of deception to make their money. At first I though it was an IRS site. Their charge amounts were not stated upfront. After realizing that I was not able to see my return or anything about the state return and I would have to wait - I felt ripped.

Joseph of Cossayuna NY (04/06/08)
I thought I was dealing with the real IRS. I filled in some information, but not all. I tried to delete it but could not. This firm has my social security number. I believe I am now a victim of identity theft.

Molly of Streamwood IL (03/23/08)
I thought I was connected to the IRS site and much to my amazement found that I had been charged $69.95. It could have been an overdraft for me because I am retired and live on a fixed income. Instead, it meant I will not be getting new glasses for 2 more months. I know it probably wasn't as catastrophic for me as it was for some people but why is this allowed? To me, their advertisement was fraud.

Roberta of Phoenix AZ (03/15/08)
On March 2, 2008 I checked for a charge to this site and in 5 sports it says FREE, and guess what it is not, they charged me $114.95 and when I sent a letter stating the fact they were charging me and that the site says free, the next week I checked and found out that they charged me $154.95. I also would like a refund and to have the BBB look into to this also. I will call the BBB and tell them.

Barbara of Gulfport MS (02/16/08)
I stumbled on expresstaxrefund.com thinking that I was entering the IRS site which I have used in the past. I clicked to file my form before I filled out any info, other than bank, credit card, etc. I called the company and was told that it was too late to do anything about this. Then, I called and talked with a woman who told me that (obviously) the IRS would reject my file. I called the company again, and if I use them to file again I will have to pay another fee. This is ridiculous. Can't the IRS do something about these people? After reading the website with all the complaints, it seems that the IRS should do something about them. If nothing else, warn people about them.

Right now I am out $49.00 and still have to file my taxes---with another company.

Steven of Franklin OH (02/15/08)
On Feb 10, 2008, I put in a complaint against this company. After further investigating, I would like to retract that complaint. It looks to be a matter of miscommunication. My sincere apology is extended.

Bridgette of Covington TN (02/12/08)
Express tax refund told me that I would be able to print my tax return on the computer my tax return was supposed to be 6,341.00 on February 8, 2008. Then I called to Express tax refund hotline they said I should recieve it February 12, 2008. I recieved no check. So I called the Irs and asked them when was my check going to be mailed out they said February 15,2008. So I asked how much was it the lady said $472.00. So I called Express tax refund they got smart with me I asked them where is the a total where is my money. They said that refund on the computer said they would been sending me was 3,356. All I recieved was 472.00. This company is a total rip off.

Now me and my kids will be put in the cold because of my lease expires February 29,2008. I was depending on that return so I could move some where else. I don't have a job just had a newborn.

Megan of Sunnyvale CA (02/08/08)
I used express Tax Refund to file my 2007 tax return. They do not tell you what fees that are charging until you finish filling in all of your information. I ended up paying $140.00 to file my state and federal refunds. They fail to inform you that you have to print and mail your state return and do not let you review it until you have already received your federal return. I have always done my taxes through H&R Block in the past and have never had any problems like I had this year filing with Express Tax Refund! I warn anyone who reads this do not use this company! If you do decide to use them please read through everything before completing your refund because they fail to tell you important info. until after you have already filled your return!

If I had filled my taxes with H&R block like I had in the past they would have e-filed my state tax return for me and I would not have had to wait 6-8 weeks to receive it. I now have to postpone my son's surgery for another 6-8 weeks until I get my state return in the mail!

Sandra of Gorham ME (02/06/08)
I thought I was on the IRS Free E-file site. I went to Google and put in the above info and several things came up one of which said free e-file for taxpayers under $54,000.00. I clicked on it and proceeded to put in the info. I was never asked for any info on paying. I truly thought that I had sent the return directly to IRS. Later on I was looking at the sheet I printed out and realized that it wasn't the IRS at all. I immediately (within a 24 hour period) called and requested to cancel the entire transaction. I always thought that every organization had to adhere to the three day cancellation option. I was told that the return had been e-filed already. I inquired about the fee I would be paying and the answer was $159.10.

This was my daughter's return, and she cannot possibly afford that outrageous fee. I could have mailed the return for her and she would have paid nothing. I had the return all made out and saw the ad on the IRS 1040 EZ packet and assumed it would go smoothly, and I must admit it went so smoothly I was amazed and happy that I had gotten it in for her for free. I am sick about this and I have learned a valuable lesson and will not make the same mistake again.

I hope that filing this helps someone else.

Linda of Springfield MO (01/25/08)
my taxes were filed efilings by expresstaxrefund their prices are not shown correctly on their web-site it says they charge 29.25 for efilings then in small itty bitty print there are added charges some shown others not shown anyhow my charge of only 29.95 grew to be 140.90 and they there is no customer complaint # to call and ask why these charges are so high, only a # telling you when your refund is being deposited

charged to much money for doing a simple tax refund for only a ex1040 their fees are not being shown they make you think you are getting filings for 29.95 and it ends up being 140.00

Linda of Canton GA (01/25/08)
I used the website on the inside cover of the IRS booklet i received and it said that efile was free. I then proceeded to fill out the form. Somehow this changed to the Express tax refund website. There was no mention that this had switched over so i finished filing.

When i finished I realized this was not the IRS. My futher research indicated it was Express tax. I then saw the fees after filing for over $100 to file an easy 1040EZ. i immediately tried to call the number listed but was told office closed. The next day I finally talked with a Nicole. I explained that i has filed in error and could she please cancel as why would i pay $104 to file an EZ. She told me to call Irs. I asked for a supervisor and she told me no one was in. I pleaded and she said call back in a few days (which she knew it would be filed by then). I called back and asked for supervisor and she told me she was the supervisor.

As your other complaints, that was my whole savings and survival money. After they stole the initial $104 as Nicole told me th e fee would be,when i get my refund deposited, it is even less.I am missing another $37. I am now afraid they will use that vital information to continue to steel my social security number and bank information.

Karissa of Clearwater FL (03/09/07)

There was a link online that said Fast ,easy, and accurate tax refund. Free live help. It said it was sponsored by the IRS. There is no warning of a charge whatsoever until you have already submitted your refund and information. The office has a customer service but does not have a direct phone line. In order to get a refund you must write a letter explaining what happened.

Ryan of Stockton CA (03/03/07)

I filed my taxes with a direct deposit and when the date came I received no money. I then looked at my taxes and some how my checking account number and routing number were changed...so I called them and they told me that a check had been sent out and to expect it in 3-4 days. I waited 5-6 days and no check. I then called back and they said well wait a couple more days because it might take longer. And once again I waited. I called back after not receiving a check and talked to a manager. My refund has been reduced by $50.

Rochelle of New York NY (01/28/07)

I filed state taxes and have never received a check. I went to log into my account to find that I have no account with Express Tax Refund. If that is not enough, I had just filed my taxes with them and now I have no access to the record of me ever doing it at all. Where is my state taxes, where is my refund information, what happened to log in and password info?

I sent a “forgot password” e-mail and for the past 6 days I have received nothing concerning my password. But, the marketing newsletter comes sometimes twice a day. Express Tax Refund took my tax information and seemingly disappeared.

Rochelle of New York NY (01/28/07)
First off, I filed State Taxes and have never received a check at all. I went to log into my account to find that I have no account with express tax refund. If that is not enough, I had just filed my taxes with them now I have no access to the record of me ever doing it at all. Where is my state taxes, where is my refund information, what happened to log in and password info. I sent a forgot password e-mail, and for the past 6 days, I have received nothing in my inbox concerning my password. But The marketing newsletter comes sometimes twice a day.

Express Tax Refund took my tax information and disappeared. But check this, I can go online and refile my taxes with the same information.... As long as I put it in the website will accept it. What haooened to a secure login, I am very displeased. I will let you know if I recieve any tax return from this company. Note I am due $398.00 after their fee, so lets see what happens this year.

Melodie of Winnemucca NV (01/26/07)
In early January i filed my tax with this company. I was told to check back for a status as to when expect my return so therefore i did. It said on the website that i should have it in my account on the 26th of January. I went to the website to download and print off my return and was looking at the account number and the routing numbers finding they had been changed.

Then went to the bank website to see if the money was in my account in the amount of 3812.00 i found nothing. I have tried to call this company and the 3 time i called there was a busy signal and the next time i got a recording to call back during normal business hours mind you this was at 10:30 PST. Then checked my email had a message there stating the was an RT has been mailed to you on the 25 of January. Now what is RT and why would it have to be mailed? When you requested a direct deposit.

I have counted on this money to catch up my rent and get my car payments caught up as i have been unemployed. And put some food on the table for me and my kids as i am a single mom and this has caused a real burden.

Colleen of Naples FL (01/11/07)
The Irs tax form lists this company as a provider of online tax preparation. The implication is that the IRS has approved this company's tax services. This is a total rip off in that as you file your return, the costs are Not disclosed until after the return is filed. This is a total rip off.

20 percent of my refund was charged.

Frank of San Francisco (2/6/05):
I filed with expresstaxrefund.com and they stated in 48 hours on their page that I would be receiving a federal refund of $1600+ minus their fees (about $104). When I received my check (no direct deposit), it was for only $72! I don't know what happened to my extra $1400 or so, and their customer service number puts me on a "blank" hold (no music, no please wait message, no anything). After waiting on hold for nearly an hour, I gave up.

I am unemployed at the moment, and was counting on my tax refund to pay some back rent. Now I will probably be homeless very soon. Thanks a lot expresstaxrefund!

Bonnie of Flatwoods KY (2/6/05):
I filed my tax return online at this site which implied the service was free only to find out that they are going to charge me over $137.00. I called the bank that they go through which is Santa Barbara Bank @1-800-901-6663 today, the day I filed, and was told that I wasn't in their system and therefore Express Tax Refund could cancel the return but they refuse to do so. I am disabled on a fixed income and can not afford what these people are doing to me.

Richard of San Jose IL (1/31/05):
Within 24 to 48 hours of submitting a tax return we were to hear if tax return was accepted. When trying to get on site after a 36 hour period, I was unable to access tax status. The reason was that routine updates were being performed. Why would these updates be performed at "prime times" when people are getting home from work which I would presume to be 5pm to 7pm. Also the site said to check back in a few minutes. Maybe they should define what a "few minutes" is.

Complaint #2 is the posting of the price for the services. I have worked my entire life in supermarket retail, and never have we been able to, nor would we, post the minimum price you pay for goods. For instance, imagine buying a gallon of milk which had a sign stating $1.99 per gallon. Then when you get to the register, the transportation fee, warehouse fee, fuel surcharge, electronic scan fee, and misc. indirect fees were then all added, and the final cost was $4.00? I don't believe that too many customers would return.

Where did I miss the price for the "full service" refund? Oh yeah, I should have clicked on another icon ... oops, my fault, I guess.

Thirdly, where did it say you did not do state tax filing? Again, would this be my fault, or the fault (or inadequecy) of the site. By the way, my intent was not to use this site, but rather Turbo Tax, which several friends have used ... and used cheaper, more accurately, and more completely (because they do file state taxes.

James of Palm Springs CA (4/8/04):
It was last minute in April 2003, I was going to e-file my taxes to speed refund. I went to the IRS website and they gave a list of companies okayed by them to e-file taxes. On the list was ExpressTaxRefund.com with the notation that the service was free for filers with less than $25,000 adjusted gross income. i fell under that limit and proceded to fill in the appropriate info to complete my taxes.

As I finished, it asked what to do with my refund. I wanted it direct deposited to my personal account and gave the appropriate info. I finished the process and e-filed my taxes. Before I could download copies of my returns, there was an electrical outage here and I lost the connection to them. Unfortunately, in my haste to get the taxes filed, I forgot to write down the name of the service I used. But, I remembered, the site said it would send me an acknowledgement of my filing and IRS receipt. Well, nothing ever came to me in the way of any acknowledgement. Nothing. So, I waited to receive my refund.

It had been claimed that I should get it within 10 days. I waited and I waited. I checked with the IRS for refund info, "Too soon" was the only response I could get. Finally when the first of June arrived and I had not receiveda refund, I contacted the IRS with the complaint of not receiving my refund. As with any dealings the first letter to them was lost and it took another 3 weeks to get things started. Eventually I received a letter from them staing that my refund had been direct deposited on the 15th of April, the day I efiled my return. Well, needless to say, I hurried to my bank to have them start and investigation into where my refund had gone.

While I am pursuing the details with my bank, the IRS puts a trace on it and I receive a letter stating it had been direct deposited to an account with Santa Barbara Saving and Loan, Santa Barbara, Ca. I have not now nor have I ever had an account with that institution. In fact the nearest branch is about 300 miles away. Well, this institution is afiliated with expresstaxrefund.com as the money for their refund loan program. At no time did I apply for a refund loan.

Anyway, I contacted this institution and asked about my refund check and they tell me that there is no money in the account to which my refund had been credited. Why, I ask. Well, it seems that expresstaxrefund.com had sent Santa Barbara a bill for my supposedly free filing for $126. My entire refund check was then given to expresstaxrefund.com.

This company was getting over a hundred dollars for an e-filing of a US 1040-EZ tax return and a Cal 540-EZ returns. The absolute easiest returns one can file. No other forms, no itemized deductions. Just a simple ez return. Which according to their website would be a free return as my AGI was under the limit.

Kirsten of Spring TX (5/7/04):
I filed my income taxes with them on March 30, 2004. I am a student at the end of my school semester, and I needed money for my bills quickly which is why I filed a return with them. I was not getting a great deal of money back, $322.00, which is why I never would have used them if I realized how ridiculously exorbitant their fees were. My fee statement came out to $84.95. Of course looking back at their website I realized that they did list all kinds of b.s. fees in a pricing section.

But when I saw my back statement I realized that they had only deposited $204.05 in my bank account. Even subtracting the $84.95 that still left me with an unaccounted $33.00. So I called the number on their website to speak to a representative. When I told him about the $33.00, he kept insisting that my bank had deducted the money from my account. I kept telling him that this was not true because I had just been to the bank to speak to them, and I knew they did not debit my account. So then he finally tells me that it must have been Santa Barbara Bank because their company had to go through them before sending the money to me. He said that $33.00 was their bank transfer fee. I told him that there was no reason for another bank to even be involved, and how would I have even had any knowledge that it existed because it said nothing about that bank on their website.

He insisted that the bank was mentioned on their website ExpressTaxRefund.com. After I spoke with him I went back to the website and read even single document contained in it. I read through all of the fine print and the terms of service, and the bank is mentioned nowhere. Another thing that I find extremely suspicious is that the same day that my tax refund was deposited into my back there was a debit of $62.68 for a travelers insurance plan which I did not authorize.

Rhonda of Honolulu HI (1/24/04):
On Jan.16, 04 I filed online federal/states taxes on behalf of my husband and myself. I chose to go with this company because it gave me the option to do returns for 2 states. Normally, a website is not designed to accept such a thing, but I took my chances and never once was my information rejected (both states were stored and accepted).

My husband is active duty military and claims South Carolina as his permanent residency and pays into taxes there. I on the other hand work here in Hawaii, which is where we both temporarily reside. I was not able to print out any data from this company or even have them acknowledge my state refund status at the time (I thought it was all figured together) Several days later around the 20 of Jan. is when I was given access to review my return. During this process I immediately noticed that the state tax information wasn't a part of the total I was previously given on the day of filing (I thought it was).

I noticed this because the forms stated I owed $1010.00 in Hawaii state taxes (had I known this I would have not preceeded with the services and paid with my bank card $79.95). I didn't know exactly what the problem in detail was but knew that there was a problem and quickly called the company to get an explanation. I spoke with Kelly who told me that I needed to call the Hawaii state taxation office because they only input the numbers I submit in their database. Well, indeed I did call the office, but the gentleman was not of any service basically telling me there was nothing he could do.

At this point I am very worried and reasonably upset. I sit down to my table to carefully review my returns that were just downloaded. I almost instantly noticed that they only filed one state return which was my Hawaii return. In that return they took my husbands' and my total gross income and deducted the Hawaii state taxes making it appear as if we had not been properly paying into Hawaii state taxes. So, I get the phone again and speak with Jill. I explained the situation to her but, preferred/asked to speak back with Kelly because I felt she had more "people skills" and appeared more willing to help (not to mention it's always better and less time consuming to stick with one person).

I was connected with kelly and explained the situation to her and she completely understood the error in question. Kelly eventually told me to check back in 24 hrs online to view the state return. I was reassured this matter would be completly resolved after questioning if they were going to do the South Carolina taxes and redo the Hawaii's. I was also told that they don't do multiple returns online, that the system is not set-up to do so. I begged to differ and told Kelly the system led me to believe it would because it allowed me to input and store the information (never once rejecting it). Kelly's response was professional and she told me that it would/could be done.

Well, 24 hrs went by and things were unchanged in their system. So Jan 21, I call the company to speak with Kelly again. She told me to check back online in 5 hrs. I checked back just to find that my Hawaii state taxes were done the same way but, they added some numbers in from the South Carolina taxes making my Hawaii taxes now reflect a balance of $692. They still used my household's gross income for the Hawaii state taxes (after I specifically told them the aren't supposed to). I then called back to speak with Kelly but was told she had left. I asked the person on the other end to speak with a supervisor. The party replied "I am the supervisor". When asked her name she replied "Michelle" I from top to bottom explained this ordeal.

Michelle's response was such that she missed everything I had just said. She said "so we hadn't done your state?" I was then transferred to "Tyrese," another supervisor.

I being upset explained the situation in its entirety to him and he told me that my return (fed) was even wrong because I keyed in number stating that I pay an amount throughout the year (when I thought it was asking for my previous year's refund). He told me that I was not getting the figure calculated which was a little over $6,000 but instead receiving $1,000 and something instead. I told him the South Carolina state tax return was too high. Tyrese told me the error in the federal caused the South Carolina return to be that high.

I then continued to question their state tax errors and told him to reverse everything (so I could get my money back and take my services to a different company); he told me they can't do that. Tyrese said they would omit the numbers in the South Carolina taxes so it'd be accurate and would correct the Hawaii state taxes error (using soley my income) within 24 hrs. ... On Jan. 23 I still did not get anything changed. I called again to speak with Kelly telling her the ordeal again. She took down my number to have "RT" call me and make good on their services. She told me I should hear from them before closing. Needless to say no one ever called me back.

My money was taken but professional services weren't rendered! I am going to suffer tremendously for this. I will not pay back money that is not warranted nor will I allow a company to take money not warranted. I had given them 3 attempts to make good on this very important matter and they have only accepted the challlenge twice without resolution.

This has caused us mental anguish knowing our state taxes were incorrectly filled out. Eventually leading us into a legal battle because we don't owe any taxes. I have paid them money for services that are not in the least way acceptable. My time is money I work nights and lose sleep during the day to call within their business hours (just to get the run around).

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