‘I just want my tax return I worked for': Holden woman claims she is a fraud victim

Yahoo

7 days ago

LIVINGSTON PARISH, La. (Louisiana First) — A Holden woman claimed nearly all of her tax return is gone after declining to pay exorbitant fees to the preparer for her services.
Misty Brown works in Port Allen as a truck stop general manager and has a second job at another truck stop, so she had two W-2 forms to file for her taxes.
'I just want to make sure it's done correctly,' Brown said she thought.
Brown reached out to a woman she said she knew from her area named Katyra Selders. Selders had advertised her filing services on social media.
'I've been associated with her for her entire life,' Brown said.
In a screenshot of a Facebook message provided to Louisiana First Investigates, Brown asked Selders how much the services would cost. Selders said Jan. 19 it would depend on the total refund.
After some deliberation, Selders promised to deliver on a big tax return. Brown said she was surprised, considering she gets an average of less than $10,000 each year in tax return money.
'I can mess around an put the refund to like $30,000,' Selders said in a Facebook audio message provided to Louisiana First Investigates. 'Then I'd charge like $10,000. That's how I'd normally do it.'
Brown sent Selders a message sharing her concern.
'Misty, I've been doing big refunds since the pandemic, booboo,' Selders said in a Facebook audio reply. 'I'm not getting in trouble. You're not either.'
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) rejected that larger request, Brown said, ultimately accepting one for $4,690. Selders let Brown know she would charge half that amount.
'Half and half, that's how I do it when refunds are reduced,' Selders said in the message.
The accountant group FinancialCPA reports tax preparation generally costs in the lower hundreds, averaging between $100-$200 on average. Brown said she offered to pay Selders $300, which Selders declined. The IRS then let Brown know nearly the entire tax return—more than $4,700—had been deposited into an account.
'When I called that account it went to, they told me it was sent to her for her fees,' Brown said.
Brown said when she confronted Selders, she was met with denials.
In a response to a request for comment from Louisiana First Investigates, Selders denied any wrongdoing.
'Thank you for reaching out regarding the recent inquiry involving a former client's complaint about her tax filing. I want to clarify that I conducted a thorough and accurate review of the client's tax information and provided her with the correct estimated refund amount based on the documentation she submitted. However, the client declined to proceed with the filing using that amount. At no point did I file her taxes without her consent or against her wishes. My standard practice is to ensure clients fully understand and approve their filings before submission, and I have documentation to support this process,' Selders said.
At the time of publication, Selders had not yet provided that documentation or receipts from her service charge.
'From my standpoint, everyone is presumed innocent,' said David Gunn, a Board Certified Tax Attorney who agreed to discuss the case with Louisiana First Investigates.
Gunn said tax fraud is relatively common in Louisiana, and some people found guilty have paid thousands in fines. Gunn said he knew a man who fled the state when faced with charges, only to be found by the IRS in Seattle, Washington.
'The IRS is coming after tax preparers who aren't doing the right thing,' Gunn said.
Gunn said the IRS does not audit every return, but if there is evidence someone gamed the system, that person could face fines or prison time.
'They are going after these people who play games and are unethical,' Gunn said.
Brown filed a report through the Livingston Parish Sheriff's Office, but said she was told the IRS would handle any investigation if wrongdoing is found. Gunn said people in Brown's situation should file a 14157 and 14157-A form. The first is an official complaint, while the second is a fraud affidavit.
Gunn said the IRS does not audit every return, but if there's evidence someone gamed the system, that person could face fines or prison time.
'They are going after tax preparers who aren't doing the right thing,' Gunn said.
Selders publicly denied any unethical behavior in Facebook comments. She commented about Brown's refusal to pay the $2,500 fee.
'You refuse the refund fee boo tell that,' Selders commented.
Brown said she considers the situation a personal affront.
'Above anything else, I'm a mom,' Brown said. 'Her taking from me took from my kids.'
Brown said she wants her money back.
'I just want my tax return I'm owed, I worked for,' Brown said.
'I just want my tax return I worked for': Holden woman claims she is a fraud victim
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