JK Harris refunds available until Sept. 11

RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina consumers who did business with tax-relief company JK Harris can still get their money back, state Attorney General Roy Cooper said Tuesday.

“If you did business with this firm and did not receive what you were promised, you still have time to request a refund.” Cooper said in a statement. “I encourage all eligible North Carolinians to take advantage of this opportunity for a refund.”

Any customer in North Carolina who did business with JK Harris and did not receive the services promised should file a complaint with the N.C. Attorney General’s Office, the Better Business Bureau or the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs by September 11, 2008. People can contact Cooper’s Consumer Protection Division in North Carolina at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM.

JK Harris, based in South Carolina, claimed to be able to settle debts with the Internal Revenue Service for pennies on the dollar. Cooper contends that the company did not help consumers with their tax problems as advertised and refused to give refunds when people complained that promised services were never completed.

In June, Cooper and attorney generals from 17 other states won an agreement from JK Harris that requires the firm to stop misleading consumers about its services and pay $1.5 million in refunds.