$$$TAX REFUND CHECK STOLEN FROM H&R BLOCK AND CASHED$$$

[missjones 0]

Milwaukee, Wisconsin:

21,000 in tax refund checks stolen from H&R Block office

At least one was cashed by machine at the tax service; police are investigating the cases

By JACQUELINE SEIBEL and LINDA SPICE

jseibel@journalsentinel.com

Posted: April 7, 2007

As a state probation and parole agent, Vera Hutson deals with convicted criminals regularly. So when her $8,474.50 tax refund check was stolen from an H&R Block office, she started checking names and was disturbed by what she found.

She used her knowledge and computer resources and believes that one of the employees with access to her check and personal information was a felon with a 30-year criminal record, including murder, robbery, false imprisonment, recklessly endangering safety and possession of a firearm.

More recently, he has faced financial problems in Milwaukee County Circuit Court dealing with home foreclosure. He has not been arrested in the theft, and police would not confirm Saturday that any employees were involved.

Hutson said she is fearful for her family's safety and her identity information. She worries because she brought the case to the Milwaukee police, who said Saturday that they are investigating Hutson's case and two similar tax refund thefts.

More than $21,000 in tax refund checks have been stolen from the H&R Block office at 5209 W. Fond du Lac Ave., Capt. Darlene Jenkins said.

Police have pictures of the woman who cashed Hutson's stolen check at one of the company's machines used exclusively for H&R refund checks. It is unknown whether the woman is suspected in the other two thefts, Jenkins said.

Hutson's check was stolen at 3:46 p.m. Feb. 15.

Hutson said she has been getting her taxes done at the N. 53rd St. and W. Fond du Lac Ave. office for years without a problem. This year she had her taxes done on Feb. 8 and a week later she went in to get her refund check only to be told, "Your check is not here," she recalled.

The next day she learned that a woman had cashed her check and a man behind the counter, the one she alleges has the criminal background, was the one to initial it for release, she said.

"Someone had to give her my Social Security number to type into this machine to cash this check," she said.

According to police, the woman is described as black, between 25 and 32, and at the time of the theft she was wearing a baseball cap with a logo of SpongeBob SquarePants and Patrick the Starfish, a white T-shirt, hoop earrings and a necklace with a circle pendant. She had a ring on her left index finger and her leather coat had a fur-trimmed hood and cuffs.

H&R Block has reimbursed Hutson, but she has declined to sign a release that asked her not to hold the company liable, she said. They offered her Identity Guard for protection, but she also wants the company to return the fee she paid for an expedited refund.

When questioned about the thefts, H&R Block spokesman Dan Smith said, "We wouldn't comment on any employment matters or ongoing investigation, but we're extremely happy we've been able to resolve the situation with the client."

He declined to discuss Hutson's allegations or to answer questions about how or whether the company conducts criminal background checks when hiring employees.

Hutson said, however, she does not think the situation is resolved.

"I still want to be compensated," she said. "They put my kids at risk, where I live, where I work, everything. This man had access to it."

Hutson acknowledges that a criminal felony does not automatically disqualify an individual from employment. In fact, doing so is against federal law, she knows. Yet, she said, when employers hire people to deal "with sensitive information like people's identity, they should be really, really cautious."

She said, "People need to know when you go to a service you should get what you pay for and shouldn't worry about, 'Am I going to become a victim or be victimized?'

http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=588084

[missjones 0]

Tax season is literally the highlight of every working person's life in this country (well maybe for those that expect a refund.) I myself am guilty of the very popular phrase "I can't wait to file my taxes." I wanted to post this very unfortunate story about a lady whose tax refund check was stolen and cashed. I feel bad, but all I can say is direct deposit.

[kitkat1 5]

Tax season is literally the highlight of every working person's life in this country (well maybe for those that expect a refund.) I myself am guilty of the very popular phrase "I can't wait to file my taxes." I wanted to post this very unfortunate story about a lady whose tax refund check was stolen and cashed. I feel bad, but all I can say is direct deposit.

or correct your W4 exemptions, get your money in your paycheck, and avoid giving the US government a free loan!

[eric&gen 0]

Who can you trust these days? No one but yourself maybe you cant trust yourself lol.