In the first week of January I contacted Andy Heath (who I was referred to) and inquired about business taxes. I informed him that I was not familiar with filing tax id's and losses for my business but that i was told he was. I advised him that I needed money to invest in my business and I would file my last few years if needed. He assured me that he could make it happen but that we had to wait until the 15th of january to file.
On the 15th my husband and myself make an appointment to meet with him and vist his office. We brought with us a list of our expenses, losses, and profits, tax id info, and bank acct info for direct deposit. After about 15 minutes of putting information into his computer system, he came back with a refund amount of about $1,400 and asked us if that would be enough for the business. We told him that we needed a little more (knowing we have other debts to pay) he asked our mileage information, put it in the computer and came back with a larger figure. We all agreed and he told us what the fee was, $145. I asked him if the fee was already included in the return and he said that it was, but that we would have to pay the fee upfront before the 22nd of January in order to recieve the funds in our account by Jan 30th. Andy Heath also advised us that he would finish our state taxes when we paid the preparation fee.
On January 21st, my husband and friend of his went to Heath Tax Service to pay the $145 fee and finish his state taxes. Upon completion, he gave my husband a reciept and advised him he had a state return of $26. Meanwhile, we have made arrangements on our past due accounts.
On the morning of January 30th I called our bank account to check the amount and the refund had not been deposited. At that point I went to their office and asked the ladies in the front if our check had come to the store. One woman checked her computer and said that she didnt know what was going on and that I should talk to Andy.
While waiting I witnessed several irrate customers who were also supposed to recieve their refund on the Jan 30th. The ladies upfront told each person that the IRS was holding their money and gave them a # to call for more info. Customers complained that they paid up to $400 for a rapid refund that was not there. I waited until he was finished with his current customer and sat down at his desk in the back of the room. I told him the situation that the money was not in the account and he asked for my husbands ssn. I gave it to him and he checked the system and said "you guys don't get a return, I told you that". I was shocked. I said what do you mean why would you take my bank account #? He said we will get $26 by mail but that he told me and my husband that we had no refund. I told him we would never pay $145 for no refund and asked him if it was okay if I brought my husband back. He said, "yes". I called my husband and told him what was going on and that he should get dressed cause he needs to talk to Andy.
We arrived and waited about 10 minutes for his current customer to finish. When we sat at Andy's desk, he asked my husband for his ssn# and proceeded to tell my husband the same thing he told me. That he never told us we were getting a refund. He said "if it were possible to receive a refund by claiming a loss against a business, he would have a line from here to New Jersey!" I look at my husband and we both are very confused. We ask who pays $145 for no return. He had no answer. The owner Larry Heath who was on the other side of the room with 2 clients in his chair yells over to us "Ya'll need to get yall's a* outta my store!" I asked him "why are you cursing me, I'm a paying customer" He said" I said get yall's a* outta here"- At that point my husband tells Larry, "you don't need to talk to my wife like that" and Andy pulls out a loaded weapon from his top left hand desk drawer and aims at me and my husband.
My husband jumps out of his seat at this time and begins shouting at Larry "Are you gonna kill me, I could do the same to you". I jumped out of my seat to prevent my husband from going close to Larry. I get between Larry and my husband and ask Larry "why are you pulling a gun out on us, are you gonna take our money and shoot us" Larry said nothing but "get outta my store Get your a* out now". I told him I was calling the police and he said "the police are already here, they're sitting right here." I dialed 911 and they advised me to leave the store, but not the area.
I told her the owner of Heath had assaulted me and my husband and stayed on the phone with her until the first police officer arrived.
The first responding officer asked my husband and myself for a statement. We explained the situation to the officer and also told him that Larry said the police were already inside. More officers and 2 detectives also arrived on the scene. They advised us to sit in our car and wait for them to return. The detectives came to our car about 15 minutes later and told us "we really don't wanna arrest anyone here today. The officer will be here to talk to you in a minute and explain everything. Before the detective could leave the origianl officer who took our statement arrived on the passenger side window and began his explaination. He said "Wel, we took statement and some stories are different. The people inside said they say your husband jump out of his seat and began yelling at Larry." I butted in and said", but that was after he cursed us and pulled a gun on us. The officer said" well he did tell you to leave.
We ran a check on his weapon and its clean and has a license to carry. He (Larry) said he didn't want to press charges against us for terroristic threats but that if we came back on the property we will be arrested. It will be noted so don't come back here or we will have to arrest you." We expressed that we wanted to press charges against him for assult but it was the store's word against ours.
Me and my husband felt hurt, taken advantage of, and victimized-on top of all that we were made to be the criminals by the end of it. We want Heath Tax Service of Cartersville, Ga. To be investigated.
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