Menu
American Tax Relief
American Tax Relief Customer Service Phone, Email, Contacts

American Tax Relief
reviews & complaints

Learn how the rating is calculated

2.2 7 Reviews

American Tax Relief Complaints Summary

2 Resolved
5 Unresolved
Our verdict: When using services from American Tax Relief with a poor resolution rate, be vigilant. Understand the common pitfalls other customers have faced. Prepare thoroughly for any interactions with their customer service, and consider alternative solutions if your issues are not addressed satisfactorily.
Verify
Is this your company? Claim it and get a lot of features. Read more
Get notifications about new complaints and reviews of American Tax Relief. We promise not to send you any unrelated messages.
Share
Claim Your Business
Take control of your profile: address complaints and engage with reviews
Write a review File a complaint

American Tax Relief reviews & complaints 7

Sort by:

Newest American Tax Relief reviews & complaints

ComplaintsBoard
J
5:56 am EST
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

American Tax Relief got $5,000 and did nothing

After seeing their ad on TV and hearing their ads played over and over on the radio, I paid American Tax Relief $5, 000 by depositing a cashier's check to their Bank of America Account.
After that I heard that they were scamming other people. I called STEVE KITCHEN AND SHAUN MADDEN, who said that they can not refund my money EVEN IF THEY HAVE NOT DONE ANYTHING. The Federal Trade Commission shut them down because they are SCAMMERS. They collect money from you, without even looking at any of your paperworks.
I want to know how I can recover? class action suit? FTC? PLEASE let me know. [protected]@yahoo.com

Read full review of American Tax Relief and 3 comments
Hide full review
3 comments
Add a comment
S
S
Sandi Moreland
, US
Jan 09, 2014 4:01 pm EST

We used American Tax Relief also.. paid them $3, 000, 00 dollars then they sent us so much paper work.. we filled it out costing us so much more money by halfing to use an out side fax place.. I received a letter from them after 2 years saying they can no longer handle our case.. then when I called them they even tried to get me to drop the law suit an let them keep our money an said they would again try to help us.. I told them they were thiefs an I went to the highest government you can go to.. so if you have been cheated like us join in on the law suit from the government.. not sure when we will get our money back but soon we hope...
Best thing to do if you owe back taxes is go to Hewett tax service in your local town.. they were so kind an worked so hard to help us got our taxes from well over 28, 000, 00 down to less then 3, 000, 00... then just charged us for several worth of back taxes they did only $40, 00 bucks... the IRS is working with us an very low payments an for that we are thankful to all whom helped us...
These places that cheat steal an lie to you an take your hard earned money... well you can bet GOD will get them.. I truly believe what yousow you shall reap...

M
M
MadVoodoo
Jacksonville Beach, US
Nov 25, 2013 10:25 am EST

I went with Accelerated Tax Solutions, worked with Matthew, 100% money back guarantee. No other firm in the country does that. The firm did in fact fix my tax issue, I'm a 1099 owner operator so my issue was a bit bad. I was always greeted by a live person when I called in for my legal team. The legal team also kept me up to speed with everything that was going on with my case. All I can say is me and my wife are very happy with the end results! I wont lie, the 100% money back guarantee along with the BBB report is what sold me on them. My brother is now working with them and is also very happy. I recommend giving them a call, [protected] - ask for Matthew, hes a good guy and will tell you whats going on without the sales BS. Let him know your issue and he will give you the facts on what your up against. (let him know Mack J. advised you) -hope this helps, God bless.

K
K
koko_kitty
Glencoe, US
Jan 14, 2011 6:38 am EST

You could have used that $5000 to pay your bills! That's crazy to give that much money to some company

ComplaintsBoard
K
12:36 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

American Tax Relief join a class action against american tax relief?

Do you want to join a class action against "American Tax Relief"?

There are numerous complaints regarding American Tax Relief. The Federal Trade Commission filed a complaint against American Tax Relief for its practice of false advertising. A class action will be filed on behalf of consumers againstAmerican Tax Relief.

If you are a victim of American Tax Relief and you are a California resident, you may have a claim against American Tax Relief. If you would like to submit your name to become part of the class action, please contact The JK Law Firm at [protected], email [protected]@thejklawfirm.com or visit our site at www.thejklawfirm.com.

Read full review of American Tax Relief
Hide full review
ComplaintsBoard
T
6:17 pm EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

American Tax Relief my experience

I contacted Nationwide Tax Relief in 2009 to help me reduce my tax debt. I didn’t file for [protected]. Apparently the IRS will file for you if you don’t. So the IRS told me I owed 20k in back taxes and had started garnishing my pay. At NTR they told me based on my hardship and financial situation I was qualified for an Offer In Compromise and would only have to pay the IRS $1, 000. LIES! I paid them $2, 200 up front so they could file a Power of Attorney and stop the garnishment and 1, 200 a month for the next 3 months would be my total fees for the POA and the OIC.
The garnishments stopped… for 3 months. I called in to see why and they told me my OIC was rejected and there was nothing they could do for me. Then they told me that I was not entitled to a refund because there is no guarantee for the outcome and the money I paid them was for their services which they performed! COMPLETE BS! THEY DID NOTHING FOR ME AND TOOK $5, 800 FROM ME!
About 6 months ago after searching for some sort of solution to my taxes and came across FS Legal Centers 714 794-9TAX. According to them OIC is not even a legitimate way to reduce your tax debt unless the IRS determines that you have no way of repaying the debt i.e. on your death bed with no job or assets. But they did a Tax Investigation before assessing a fee and got back to me with the results the next day. It turns out that I was not entitled to an OIC like they stated earlier, but they said they could reduce most of the interest and penalties on my debt and stop the garnishment indefinitely. I have 12 months left of $250 a month back to the IRS then I will be done with this tax debt FOREVER! And they were about 2 grand less than Nationwide Tax Relief.
Moral of the Story: If it sounds too good to be true then it is! Stay away from NTR! I’m filling a complaint to the Attorney General, The BBB and my Governor! I suggest that you all do the same!

Read full review of American Tax Relief and 2 comments
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
2 comments
Add a comment
B
B
bonniehixon
, US
Oct 18, 2010 1:16 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Jim,
You are obviously a Liar who is defaming people on this site and promoting other companies shamelessly. you should be ashamed of yourself. i hope your parents aren't still alive to see you blatantly slandering other people just to promote for companies you know nothing about. Shame on you!

J
J
Jim Stozen
Vista, US
Oct 17, 2010 6:49 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

This is obviously a fake complaint. First off - American Tax Relief and Nationwide Tax Relief are to separate companies. Both are not good companies, but ATR is way worse than NTR.

Nationwide Tax Relief is not a great company, but they do not abandon their clients THAT BAD. If you don't get an OIC at NTR, they will still set up a pay plan for you.

However, overall NTR is a sales based company that does not have your best interest in mind. You don't talk to a CPA, EA, or attorney when you call.

They have an overaggressive sales force.

They are not going to be FTC complaint and may be shut down in the next 3-4 months.

This above complaint is obviously an ad for FS legal services, they are also not licensed tax professionals, and this is another company that will most likely be shut down by the new FTC regulations.

If you want real tax help, call someone who is professionally licensed and directly talk to them.

Here's a list of some legitimate companies:

Tax Resolution Professionals (www.taxresolutionprofessionals.com) - A licensed tax law firm owned and operated by attorneys. When you call you speak directly to a licensed attorney.

Joe Mastriano, CPA (www.taxproblem.org) - Licensed CPA firm. When you call you talk to a licensed CPA.

eTaxes.com (www.etaxes.com) - Tax Services Company. when you call you talk to a licensed Enrolled Agent.

Mike Habib, EA (www.myirstaxrelief.com) - Tax Services Company. when you call you talk to a licensed Enrolled Agent.

ComplaintsBoard
C
4:20 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more
Featured review
This review was chosen algorithmically as the most valued customer feedback.

American Tax Relief - scam!!

I had invested heavily into boeing right before 9 / 11 (My prayers go out to those lost) . Even though i lost everything i invested and then some i still was sent notification i was being taxed because at one point my shares were a substantial gain to me. After seeing the commercial for american tax relief i called them up to see what they could do for me...

Read full review of American Tax Relief and 11 comments
ComplaintsBoard
A
2:48 am EDT

American Tax Relief scam artists

I called American Tax Relief after viewing ad on television. I spoke to Robert Campbell for about five minutes regarding my tax debt issues. He guaranteed me that my interest fees and penalty charges would be removed and I would only pay for my actual taxes owed. I paid $4, 000.00 on September 24th 2008 and made arrangements with him to pay the rest by October 24th 2008. After paying the $4, 000.00 I decided to research the company and found that they have an extremely bad reputation all over the internet. Please check Better Business Bureau, Consumeraffairs.com, ripoff.com, etc. Naturally I felt duped and decided to have my brother handle the refund due to my anger. I chose not to send the remaining $1, 500.00 and my brother asked the company for at least a partial refund. The representative Robert Campbell became very agitated and stated, "I'm not going down that road with you. So you can forget about that refund. We have an army of attorneys..." I felt that the conversation was not getting anywhere and I became convinced that I lost the $4000.00. This company did very minimal work on my case. The only thing he did on my alleged case is receive a signed 3 page power of attorney. They also sent me a 10 page questionnaire w/ a cancellation policy that was impossible for me to participate in. Policy stated, "you have 5 days from date of letter." Letter was dated 9/24/2008 and I received it on 9/30/2008. They are scam artists abusing the legal system to get rich. I would also like to add that they are a bunch of cowards. I asked Robert Campbell if I could set up an appointment with him since I was going to travel to L.A. for a UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) event. He became very nervous and lost control stating, "get the ### off my phone you're a joke." lol.

Read full review of American Tax Relief and 6 comments
Hide full review
6 comments
Add a comment
W
W
w w johnson
,
Sep 15, 2008 7:12 pm EDT

The staff talked as though they would really take care of my tax problem until I deposited an amount of money into an account specified by them. Now when I call them, it is always the same story-"somebody will call you back", a call back that I never receive. Something truly needs to be done about these fake people.

A
A
Ameen Sarsour
Dearborn, US
Oct 31, 2012 1:29 pm EDT

I was able to get my money back finally from those cowards with the help of the Attorney General. The IRS finally accepted my offer of $2500 through my CPA. All this headache because of a previous accountant not doing his job. Wish you all good luck. - Ameen Sarsour

A
A
Abdul Alkasir
Albuquerque, US
Apr 18, 2011 5:31 pm EDT

In 204 we hired American Tax Relief to help us settle a tax debt in the state of New Mexico.We paid over 10.000 dollars up front.We received there information package in the mail. Returned it to them immediately and never heard from them again.I called numerious times, sent letter after letter and never received one response.We then had to retain another attorney costing us even more money and he passed away be fore our hearing.I am so blown away with this company.It cost us a fortune to say the least...We are now going to the Attorney Generals office here in Albuquerque to see what recoarse we have.

S
S
Sunday32
Fullerton, US
Aug 17, 2010 3:57 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Boy did I dodge a bullet! When I called these guys up it was a strong arm sale from the very beginning. I guy named Joseph Spinelli or something gave me the run down. What I owe, how much I make, my assets etc. Next question was " Would you like to write a check by phone or use a credit card? That will be $7, 500".
Under what circumstance would somebody hand over that amount of hard earned money after a 10 minute conversation. Well not me. I kinda laughed, and asked if that is normal protocol. He exclaimed that because they are such a big company and spend a million dollars in advertising every month, I should have a blind faith in them.
Needless to say I did not hand over the money.
About a month later, after networking with a few friends. I was pointed to the website settle with the irs dot info, [protected] . My experience with them has been as smooth as one could expect from a professional company. Ive had a great experience with a man named Owen. Helpful from Start to finish. They performed a tax investigation before quoting me on what they could do. This only made sense to me because if I don't have a clue what my situation is with the IRS, then how could I expect this company to know what they could do for me and require an upfront exorbitant amount of money to find out where I stand? Last but not least, I saved a lot more than what American Tax Relief was going to require upfront.

W
W
WFR
Houston, US
Nov 04, 2009 1:01 pm EST

January 2006 I needed advice on back taxes my company owed. I spoke to the representative that asked that I sign over a Power of Attorney he would fax to me while on the phone, he determined that yes they could help me reduce my liability significantly and had done so many times. They would handle all communications with the IRS and resolve all issues. I would have to turn over financials and they would be responsible for filing my returns. They needed $ 9, 000.00 to start the process and hit my American Express card for the charge before they would open the file. After being refered to multiple attornies within their network, I was finally asked what personal property (houses, land etc. ) that I might own. I explained I had a weekend house at the beach that was paid for and they explained that I needed to mortgage that as soon as possible to make it appear to the IRS that all my property was encumbered. I was told that they would set up a mortgage on the property and that I needed to speak with another person that handled these transactions. I thought this was ridiculous and told the they were commiting fraud at this point. I asked for my money back and was told that they would not make any refund for pulling out of the program although they had not done any work on my behalf. I was essentially looking at being encumbered on a mortgage on a property I owned to some outfit that ATR fronts for and also owing the IRS on top of it. I did not know who was going to rape me the most between the 2 options.
I contacted the State Attorney General of California who said that this organization operates under multiple names and that they were aware but that no action had been taken yet because while they are technically providing a service that they claim to do, they technically can make no assurances of helping taxpayers. Buyer beware. They later attempted to bill me another $9, 000.00 payment with American Express but I was able to have that charge removed.

T
T
Thomas Rodgers
Bakersfield, US
Jul 18, 2009 4:55 pm EDT

Anyone who has a complaint with American Tax Relief should sue them as I did.I paid this cmpany $6500.00 to help me with back taxes ended up I did all the work.And they were never there to help at all.So I filed a small claim against them.I sued Alex Hahn, Joo Park, and American Tax Relief .Alex and Joo are husband and wife and own american tax relief Alex is a convicted felon from a telemarketing scam he pulled before opening ATR.When I went to court the first thing the judge said that you ATR hae been sued several times in this court room and it is the first time anyone has even showed up.The beverly hills court house is very familiar with ATR and there scam business practices.From what I got from the Judge and the way she treated ATR they have never been found in there favor and never will.Needless to say the ruling was in my favor and I was granted $6500.00 plus court cost.You need to suue them in the beverly hills court house and add Joo and Alex to the suit they are not attorneys and in small claims can't be represented by one they have to appear.

ComplaintsBoard
D
8:06 am EDT

American Tax Relief withdrawal of 8,000 dollars without authorization

After authorizing this company the initial payment of 3, 900 dollars to resolve my tax problem, a Mr. John Buckner contacted me again to inform me of a second company named as Tax Group would be handling my file and an additional 8, 000 dollars would be required for their services. Despite my verbal insistence that I did not wish to have a second company prepare my taxes and informing Mr. Buckner of my wish to get the taxes prepared locally, I was led to believe American Tax Relief was a separate company by the customer services representative, Edna Silva, and Tax Group receives clients from American Tax Relief. Based on this, Edna said she would need an IRS form 8821, to obtain my tax info. This form has no authorization or account information for withdrawal for payment of any kind. However, after my statement to Mr. Buckner at the close of business on Friday, Sept. 12, 2008, the amount of 8, 000 dollars was withdrawn by Tax Group, on Sunday at 11.32 pm.

Read full review of American Tax Relief and 3 comments
Hide full review
3 comments
Add a comment
R
R
Ryan Jamison
Los Angeles, US
Aug 11, 2010 4:21 pm EDT

Most the people you talk to when you first call these companies are not authorized to handle any tax cases. He is neither an attorney, CPA, or Enrolled Agent which is required for one to represent someone before the IRS.

American Tax Relief has the WORST reputation in the industry.

Most of these companies are sales based, and not service based companies. When things go wrong - they rely on the service agreement.

When you call Titan Tax Relief, Prefferred Tax Releif, Nationwide Tax Relief, American Tax Relief, Tax Masters, and most the others, your call is directly connected to a salesperson, not someone who is authorized to handle your case, and technically that person is not legally allowed to give you tax advice either.

However, there are a few tax resolution companies which are run correctly.

One is Tax Resolution Professionals, www.taxresolutionprofessionals.com They are owned and operated by attorneys with no salespeople. They are based in Los Angeles as well. When you call them you speak with attorneys the entire time on your case. I have had two friends use them and they were extremely happy with the result. They have an extremely good reputation in the industry.

There are a few other good companies out there as well, but you need to look in depth to make sure they are legitimate.

The key is, when you call a tax resolution company, ASK who you are talking to! Most likely it is NOT an Attorney, EA, or CPA, but just another unqualified salesperson!

A
A
Ali Robinson
, JM
Feb 16, 2009 3:02 pm EST

These people are still out there trying to rip people off by taking their money and doing nothing to help clear their taxes.

Why are the American Tax Relief company given the opportunity to advertise on national television knowingly that this is a scam to rob people of their hard earn cash.

I think the government or responsible authority should get hold of this practice before its too late. There are too many firms/companies that are robbing people of their monies.

Please help us by stopping these people.

V
V
Verizonguy
, US
Sep 27, 2008 5:36 pm EDT

American Tax Relief is not a firm at all. It is a sales company. The people whom you talk to over the phone are sales men who don't even use their real names and use a script (That's right! Everyone hears the same thing!). They promise you that you "qualify" for things you would automatically qualify for when you call the IRS yourself (example: penalty abatement--everyone qualifies for this!), and only care about charging you for their "services." They will bend over backward to make sure they take your money while you are still on the phone!--they will charge multiple cards and will take over-the-phone checks from multiple people, so that they don't lose out on money.

They submit paperwork with the IRS, but beyond that they do nothing else. The only time they call the IRS is to see if you have accrued any more debt, so they can then call you and charge you even more money to continue with the case. This happens a lot because when you owe the IRS, interest accrues almost daily, and they see this as an opportunity to squeeze more money from you. If you refuse, and you want to cancel your "case" at this point, you lose all money "invested" because they will not refund you.They let the piles and piles of mail from the IRS (on your behalf) accumulate for weeks, and won't even open it up!

When they receive mail from a "client", they look for checks inside, and throw out the rest-- they don't care about complaints or hand written grievance letters because they get them all the time. And if you refuse to take their services, and they feel like you're asking too many questions, they will not hesitate to curse you out over the phone! The sales men even have the top dog, Alex, listen in, and he then tells the sales guy what profanity to say to you over the phone!

The second company they refer you to to file taxes (Tax Group) was started by American Tax Relief owner, Alex. Do not do business with either of these groups. They will have you believe Tax Group is in another location, when in reality it is right in the next cubicle! They only care about charging your credit card/bank account, and do not move a finger to cease levies or file your taxes. They even will call your bank impersonating you with the information you provide (i.e social security number and account numbers) to make sure you have enough money in your bank account (and I don't mean calling as a company, I mean calling as you!)

They will not take your phone call unless you owe a minimum amount of money, so they can charge their "minimum, " and their sales men receive commissions off of the sales they make in a day (like any other sales company)--- this is the reason why the first question you hear when they answer is "How much do you owe?"

Long story short, Do not do business with American Tax Relief or Tax Group. They are the same entity. They will not help you, and only have you accrue more debt to then charge you more! They impersonate you and lie to you. Do not take that chance!

BTW, they are located at 8383 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills, CA-- and they use their location to their advantage. When they say to you over the phone "would we be located in Beverly Hills if we were ripping people off?" ---red flag! location doesn't mean a thing- it just means that they can afford to pay rent with the money they have taken from desperate people through lies and deception! Beware of this company.

ComplaintsBoard
V
5:47 am EDT
Resolved
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

American Tax Relief don't believe them

American Tax Relief simply out should all be in jail. Very deceptive in telling you what you want to here until they get your money. Paid $3250. With another $3250 taken out of my bank account without my approval after I asked them to wait until I gave them the OK.

Paul Franklin and Chris (?) are NOT to be trusted. I was extremely clear in communicating to them they agree. take your money, then come up with other stories to substantiate why they need more money.

Started at $6500 then they tried for $4500 more.

If you give them your money you will be very sorry. Call a local firm in your area. I knew they had some complaint but I thought it was a numbers thing. I was wrong.

I also let the Pat Summeral thing influence me. I am sending him a letter also. I have never been scammed like this, ever! Don't believe them.

Read full review of American Tax Relief and 5 comments
Resolved

The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.

Hide full review
5 comments
Add a comment
S
S
Scammmm
, US
Dec 02, 2010 2:17 pm EST

American tax relief claimed to help reduce the amount of tax i owed the government after they received my money they were unreachable by phone or by internet i got taken for 5, 500.00. i want my money refunded but do not know how to go about getting it back.i read about the owners of a.t.r. driving fancy cars and owning 2 and 3 houses at the expense of hard working people.these kind of scammers should be locked up for a long time and should be made to reimburse the people there money back.the government supposedly shut them down but are they doing anything to help the victims get there money back

A
A
Allan22
Dallas, US
Jan 14, 2011 3:43 pm EST

again, pay your taxes on time...

J
J
Jose Santos
San Mateo, US
Jan 14, 2011 5:17 am EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I am also a victim. Can you please let me know how I can recover my $5, 000
There is a class action suit being initiated by a law office and also the FTC might be able to help us recover.. Joe [protected]

A
A
Allan22
Dallas, US
Dec 02, 2010 3:05 pm EST

pay your taxes on time and avoid this problem...

J
J
Justin
,
Jul 03, 2008 9:42 pm EDT

American tax relief has been rated F, a BIG F rating, by the BBB Better Business Bureau for quite some time now.

Locate a company that is rated A or better at the BBB website.

Trust badge
Collect Your Trust Badge
Be recognized for outstanding customer service

Contact American Tax Relief customer service

Your Voice Matters: Our Commitment to Genuine Reviews

Empowering Real Experiences

At ComplaintsBoard, we believe in the power of true customer stories. Our platform is a space for authentic voices, where experiences, both good and bad, are shared openly and honestly.

Dedicated to Authenticity

ComplaintsBoard is vigilant in our fight against false reviews. Our team employs robust verification methods to ensure every review reflects a real customer experience, upholding the integrity of our platform.

Encouraging Detailed Feedback

ComplaintsBoard values reviews that come with real evidence. Whether it's a photo, a detailed account, or additional documentation, such substantiation adds credibility to your story, helping others make better-informed decisions.

Balanced and Constructive Conversations

We're more than just a complaints board; we're a community for balanced dialogue. ComplaintsBoard encourages reviews that not only highlight issues but also acknowledge positive aspects, fostering a fair and comprehensive understanding.

Free and Fair Platform

ComplaintsBoard's commitment to maintaining a free and unbiased platform is unwavering. Every review is treated equally, ensuring that your voice is heard and respected, regardless of the nature of your experience.

Is ComplaintsBoard.com associated with American Tax Relief?

ComplaintsBoard.com is not affiliated, associated, authorized, endorsed by, or in any way officially connected with American Tax Relief Customer Service. Initial American Tax Relief complaints should be directed to their team directly. You can find contact details for American Tax Relief above.

ComplaintsBoard.com is an independent complaint resolution platform that has been successfully voicing consumer concerns since 2004. We are doing work that matters - connecting customers with businesses around the world and help them resolve issues and be heard.

Use this comments board to leave complaints and reviews about American Tax Relief. Discuss the issues you have had with American Tax Relief and work with their customer service team to find a resolution.