DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ga. — A Douglas County tax preparer faces allegations she falsified customers’ tax documents to inflate refunds and charge higher fees.
Several customers contacted Channel 2 Investigative Reporter Ashli Lincoln after discovering discrepancies in their returns.
The customers said they became concerned after receiving refunds far larger than expected and feared potential trouble with the Internal Revenue Service.
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“The check was over $10,000,” one customer, who asked to remain anonymous, said.
Another client, Jabneel Springer, said his refund should have been much smaller.
“It was like a $1,500 refund,” he said.
Customers said the unusually high amounts raised immediate red flags.
“Oh, I was livid,” the anonymous customer said.
They allege tax preparer Shannon Melton of Melton Wagner & Blake LLC falsified information on returns, not to keep the refunds, but to inflate them and justify higher preparation fees.
“Falsifying information to inflate a return to charge a higher fee,” one customer said.
One man said he paid nearly $2,500 for tax preparation. After receiving a $10,000 refund, he said he reviewed his return and found inflated figures.
“The numbers were inflated, $15,000 in expenses that I didn’t incur,” he said.
He filed a police report for theft by deception. Documents indicate a warrant has been obtained.
He also received a letter from the IRS warning his taxes had been filed as a self-preparer.
“I contacted the IRS. They said there was nothing ever sent,” he said.
Another man said Melton created a personal identification number in his name and filed his taxes without his knowledge.
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“It’s illegal for what she’s doing,” he said.
Records show Melton does not have a federally required Preparer Tax Identification Number, which is required for paid tax preparers.
Lincoln contacted Melton by phone. She declined to comment.
Both men said they have spent thousands of dollars working with the IRS to correct their filings and avoid penalties.
“What she’s doing is like fraudulent activities,” one customer said. “She’s charging a whole lot of money and pretending to be a licensed or professional tax preparer.”
The customers said they have since returned the refunds to the IRS and filed police reports in Henry and Gwinnett counties. Records also show Melton’s business license was dissolved last year.
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