Garodnick Joins Mayor, DCA Commissioner to Announce Crackdown on Fraudulent Tax Preparers

Council Member Garodnick joined Mayor Bloomberg and Department of Consumer Affairs Commissioner Jonathan Mintz to announce the results of a crackdown on fraudulent tax preparers. The DCA conducted 1,200 inspections in mostly low-income areas and issued over 1,600 violations to 439 tax preparers – for misrepresenting their qualifications, violating consumers' rights, and illegally advertising refund anticipation loans as "rapid" or "instant" refunds.

"Refund anticipation loans are some of the most shameless, predatory and deceptive products out there,” said Council Member Garodnick. "To offer them under the guise of rapid returns is even worse. The DCA is doing important work in exposing the tax preparers who defraud New Yorkers with these phony products."