IRS Tax Relief Help: What to Look Out for When Hiring IRS Tax Representation

In an industry that has been disparaged by the likes of TaxMasters, JK Harris, and Roni Deutch, a taxpayer could easily be discouraged from hiring representation to defend their rights against the IRS. Facing the IRS on your own is not a wise decision. By doing a little research, you can save yourself from falling victim to scams or deceptive practices.

Be Wary of BBB (Better Business Bureau) Ratings

While the BBB is widely used by consumers to determine the reliability of a business, it’s not perfect. The BBB does not conduct extensive background checks on business owners or their staff.

For example, a CPA may have had their license for 20 years but only been handling tax issues for 2 years. The BBB will list his or her company as being 20 years old despite the fact that they have no actual expertise or experience in IRS tax problems.

Shell Companies

Many businesses who advertise themselves as tax resolution firms are “shell companies”- a marketing company who sells personal information and serves no purpose to the consumer.

These websites can be distinguished because they do not list their employees, and they will often have a large “lead capture form” front and center on the homepage. This is a form that asks for your name, email address, etc.

Pennies on the Dollar

There is an influx of so called “tax resolution firms” that promise to settle your IRS tax problems for pennies on the dollar. These companies are not legitimate.

If you owe the IRS money, there are a number of options available to you, but simply slicing your debt into nothing is not one them. These companies will charge you an upfront fee and then not deliver on their promises. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Companies Who Do Not List Their Staff on Their Website

The first thing you must ask yourself when you notice that a company does not list their staff on their website is “Why”? A firm with qualified, trustworthy professionals should be proud of the people they employ. If a company website doesn’t list its team members it probably has something to hide. Namely, the fact that it most likely employs under qualified individuals with no actual tax or IRS experience.

If you are facing IRS tax problems, JG Tax Group wants to help. Feel free to contact us with any questions you may have about your current IRS tax situation.

The Truth About Tax Defense Network

Tax Defense Network was founded in 2007, by brothers Franklin and Joseph Vailnho. Neither of whom is an Enrolled Agent, CPA, or Attorney. The company was established after both brothers and their prior business, Emergency Debt Relief, were sued by Attorney General Charlie Crist on behalf of the State of Florida pursuant to the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act, Chapter 501, Florida Statutes.

Dwayne Harmon, while Vice President of Marketing at Tax Defense Network, was charged with 1.7 million dollars in Internet fraud. Harmon was accused of selling the personal information of hundreds of Tax Defense Networks’ clients, putting their identities at risk of being abused.

Additionally, Tax Defense Network has set up a website called www.consumertaxreports.org. This website claims to deliver “Real Reviews”, “Honest Ratings”, and “Reliable Results”. The website dishonestly poses as an outside, third party who has “done background checks” on each tax company and “rated their performance from A-F”. The truth is that Tax Defense Network owns consumertaxreports.org. and lists itself as the “Number 1” tax company on the website. Meanwhile, Tax Defense Network is hard at work posting pretend, made up “ratings” on other companies.

Any company with a trustworthy reputation need not rely on deceptive websites to falsely promote themselves.

JG Tax Group filed a lawsuit against the Valinho brothers, Tax Defense Network and its other website, consumertaxreports.org. After the lawsuit was filed, they immediately withdrew JG Tax Group from their website. We dismissed our lawsuit because Tax Defense Network removed our name and approximately 40 other names from the website. Several weeks later, Tax Defense Network was back up to their old tricks as they’d reposted JG Tax Group on their website in a less provocative way. We still believed it was libel so we notified Tax Defense Network that we were filing a second lawsuit. Again, they immediately withdrew JG Tax Groups’ name from their website.

As a taxpayer, it is vitally important that you do you research before hiring a firm to defend your rights. Do not leave your IRS tax problems in the hands of possibly deceptive or untrustworthy individuals. To see copies of the lawsuits mentioned in this article, Dwayne Harmons’ lengthy criminal history and current incarceration, or the Attorney General settlement with the Valinho brothers, click here.