ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Comptroller Peter Franchot has announced that his office has immediately suspended processing electronic tax returns from five more preparers due to a high volume of questionable returns received. This adds to the list of nine preparers flagged last week.
“My agency is steadfastly committed to protecting Marylanders from fraudulent tax preparers,” Comptroller Franchot said. “I want to thank my Questionable Returns Detection Team for its vigilance and dedication. It’s inexcusable for a tax preparer to knowingly submit false tax returns and we won’t stand for it.”
The businesses were sent written notice of the action after they were identified by the Comptroller’s nationally recognized fraud unit using state-of-the-art technology that detects fraud. The agency has a review process that provides an opportunity for blocked preparers to have their filing privileges restored.
The tax preparers blocked from filing returns are:
- Family Benefit Financial Group, LLC,5860 Belair Rd, 2nd Floor, Baltimore, MD 21206
- C & A Financial Services, LLC, 44 N. Potomac Street, Hagerstown MD 21740
- Millennium Consultant INT, Inc.,14120 Water Fowl Way, Upper Marlboro, MD 20876
- Hope Unlimited Tax Service,6310 Marlboro Pike, District Heights, MD 20747
- Big Ben Tax Service,9903 Rhode Island Ave, Suite A, College Park, MD 20740
In 2016 and 2017, the Comptroller’s Office blocked suspicious tax returns at 95 tax preparation businesses in 113 locations. Since taking office in 2007, the Comptroller’s team has identified and block more than 88,00 fraudulent returns and intercepted and denied $190.2 million worth of fraudulent refunds. A complete list of all tax preparers blocked from filing returns is available at www.marylandtaxes.com.
If taxpayers suspect fraud, they are asked to immediately report the issue to the Comptroller’s Office by calling 1-800-MD-TAXES (1-800-638-2937) or 410-260-7980 in Central Maryland or taxhelp@comp.state.md.us.