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Mo’ Money mo’ problems still

Posted at 9:31 PM, Feb 23, 2012
and last updated 2012-02-24 08:15:34-05

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. (WTVR) - Even after all thee reporting done on the Mo’ Money franchise, customers are still taxed and continue to come forward with complaints.

"They got the money,” said Marquetta Robinson, who deposited a refund check from the company.  “We just can't get it."

After waiting nearly a month to get her refund, Robinson picked up her check at the company's eastern Henrico office.

"Wal-Mart kicked it out saying that it wasn't any good,” said Robinson.

When that didn't work, Robinson then deposited the check into her Wells Fargo account, waited for it to clear, then paid off her bills.

"I paid everything...everything."

But a few days later, that check bounced .

"I was teed off really,” said Robinson. “Really ...teed off.“

Robinson filed complaints with the BBB, Richmond police, and the IRS, but hasn't gotten anywhere.

Yet, Robinson is a repeat customer of the Mo’ Money tax service.

She said she never had any problems in the past.  “None, got my check the day it said it was going to come, cashed it, no problem.”

Robinson isn't the only one.  Jlea Peters is still waiting for her refund.

"I've been ripped off; I don’t when I’m getting my money,” said Peters.

CBS 6 visited the south Richmond and eastern Henrico Mo’ Money locations.  All we found were empty offices and no answers.

"They will probably only end up with a small percentage of what their refunds should have been initially,” said Eric Stamper with Virginia First Financial.

Stamper, a tax preparer, said M’ Money customers may be lucky to get anything.

"That's assuming the perpetrators have resources left when they are brought to justice,” said Stamper.

Justice is exactly what Robinson wants, along with her refund. "I'm going to do all the steps necessary to get my money,” she said.

Congressman Bobby Scott told CBS 6 that he and other Congressional lawmakers are putting pressure on the U.S. Department of Justice to take action.  Congressman Scott said that he’s surprised the owner of Mo’ Money taxes hasn’t been indicted yet.

If you haven’t filed a complaint with the Internal Revenue Service, call their Tax Fraud hotline at 1-800-829-1040. And you can call Central Virginia Legal Aid Society at 804-648-1012 or the Virginia Poverty Law Center at 782-9430, ext. 12.