JK Harris and Co., LLC Ripped me off of $500.00 pacifica, California

On Wednesday June 17th, 2009 at 2pm PST, I met with Gus Petruske who is a Consultant for JK Harris and Co., LLC A National Tax Representation firm. I met with the consultant at 177 Bovet rd. San Mateo, Ca. An Office that had no JK Harris and Co., LLC logo or anything other than 3 folders that had the Logo on them was the only thing in the office that represented this company. But JK Harris and Co., LLC Head quarters are at 4995 Lacross Rd. Suite 1800 N. Charlston, NC 29406 The IRS had placed a Levy against my checking account and the Co. with whom I was contracting with. After seeing many Tax resolution company commercials on TV and listing to them advise to never deal directly with the IRS because they are not going to help you but make life harder frightened me enough and made me affraid to deal directly with the IRS. After the meeting I decided to aquire services from JK Harris and Co.,LLC I was told they would need two checks. One in the amount of $330.00 for them to set me up for quarterly taxes. The other in the amount of $500.00 to start the Offer and Compromise. I wrote out two checks and gave them to Gus Petruske. After signing over power of attorney and giving them permissioin to debit my debit card and take $500.00 / month for them to continue to assit me with the Tax issue and $55.00 / month for them to assist me with quarterly taxes. After much reflection and recalling that the office didn\'t have any identifying logo\'s and recalling that the consultant had to go to his car to get the documents it made me suspicious, so I decided to check out the Better Business Bureau ( which I should have done before signing anything ) I found that the company had an F rating. On Monday June 22,2009 which was 3 business days after signing the contract. I decided to cancel my contract with JK Harris and Co., LLC. I faxed them a letter of cancellation to 877-504-1732 which is the number I was given by the company. and I also sent an email to cancel my contract. I requested a full refund of the $830.00 I paid. On June 23,2009 I called the company to ensure they had recieved my letter and was told by one of the representatives that YES, they had received my request and was being sent to their resolution department and it would take 45 days to get an answer to my refund question. I received $330.00 Check back voided. But nothing of the $500.00 check. I have contacted the Better Business Bureau and they were in contact with JK Harris and Co.,LLC and they kept saying that I cancelled on 6/24/09. On 8/21/09 I finally received an answer and they said that my request for a refund of the $500.00 was being denied. JK Harris and Co. LLC had done no work on my case because when I signed the papers I was given a packet to fill out and needed to send them the information before they would start my case. It was Gus Petuske who told me this and also told me not to call the IRS they wouldn\'t know who JK Harris and Co.,LLC because they use another name when dealing with the IRS. ( red flag ) But I wanted help so bad I was only wanting to see that they could help me. Besides this is a nation wide Co.(what a fool I was) I want other consumers to be made aware of these Companies who are out there to steal money from people in my situation. After cancelling I called the IRS directly and within an hour they had lifted the levy placed on my accounts and place of business and made a payment plan of $300.00 / month. THE IRS DID ALL THIS FOR NO MONEY AT ALL AND THE MONTHLY PAYMENT WILL GO TO PAY OFF THE BACK TAXES I OWE. Please help advise me as to if I have a case in small claims court and how I can go about it. Thank you for letting me tell my story! Debora A. Romero-Arias Damage Resulting = I was scammed out of $500.00 and this is money that I had borrowed and have to pay back to a friend.