In Norfolk, many unhappy with returns by tax firm

NORFOLK

The Norfolk Police Department announced Tuesday that its economic crimes unit and the U.S. Internal Revenue Service are investigating Mo' Money Taxes. Dozens of local customers have said Mo' Money, a tax preparation company, has repeatedly delayed giving them their refund checks.

Chris Amos, a spokesman for the department, said that if customers never get their refunds, "we're looking at potential charges - obtaining money by false pretense probably being the big one."

Amos said officials from Mo' Money, based in Memphis, Tenn., have told the department that they will not take new customers locally.

Mo' Money opened six stores in Norfolk in December and processed more than 1,700 tax returns, the Police Department said in a news release.

On Monday, more than 70 people waited in line for hours for their refunds outside the Mo' Money office on Granby Street near 39th Street. They said Mo' Money employees had told them the site would be open from noon to 5 p.m., but employees did not arrive until 5:15.

Amos said Mo' Money distributed about 200 checks Monday night, but several customers said they were told to come back later in the week. Amos said he didn't know how many customers were still owed money.

U.S. Rep. Bobby Scott said in a statement: "After learning about the numerous complaints and media reports of one company operating throughout Hampton Roads denying or delaying tax refunds to their customers, I am asking the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate this matter."

People who have filed returns with Mo' Money can check on their status at www.irs.gov, Amos said.

People who want to file a complaint with the IRS against a tax preparer can go to www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f14157.pdf, said Mark Hanson, a spokesman for the agency.

Some customers, Amos said, have complained that the business told them it would not file their returns but later did so. People can contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 to report that a fraudulent return was filed, he said.

About a half-dozen officers were stationed outside the Granby Street office Monday to maintain order. Police reported that other Mo' Money offices were vandalized and burglarized Friday. Employees said that windows were broken at the Brambleton Avenue site and that computers, TVs, blank checks and files were stolen from the Tidewater Drive store.

Pilot writers Patrick Wilson and Carolyn Shapiro contributed to this report.