Jackson Hewitt $200-$500 Refund Advance 2015 Nationwide

                                        !!!!!PROCEED WITH EXTREME CAUTION!!!!!

I normally file my own taxes. Since I do not make a lot of money, I use the free file link on the irs.gov site to locate a provider and I only pay for my state taxes which is usually around $19.99. This year, I really needed extra money for car repairs. I saw an online ad by Jackson Hewitt for a $200 advance on your income tax refund and a $50 bonus. This would be perfect because the worst repairs would be that amount. I called the office to confirm what I saw on the internet was available in my area and I went in to the office. Also, The advance was advertised as being no credit check and 0% interest. 

When I arrived at the office, I was greeted and completed some paperwork. I was told the advance was actually $500 with the $50 gift card. I thought great! I completed the application, worked with a tax preparer. When I was done she informed me that my preparation total and loan repayment fee was $349. $309 for tax preparation fee and $40 for loan fee. But my refund was over $6,000 (again, I work but I do not make alot of money and I have children and yes I actually have a bachelor's degree (however worthless, from a traditional brick and mortar school,I am in graduate school also, but I digress). I knew it was high, but I needed the money, so I agreed and left with my paperwork and gift card in hand. I was told upon leaving, I would receive a text message in 1 hour notifying me that my gift card was loaded and another text message in another hour stating that my loan was ready for an e-signature.

I went to the library to work on my school work and waited for the text messages, which I never received. I did go to the website on the back of the card and saw that the $50 was already loaded. In all I waited 2 hours at the library, went home, continued to check my phone and email, never received a message, went to sleep.

NEXT DAY- I checked my phone for text messages, checked my email for messages- NOTHING. I went to work. I tried calling the JH office were my taxes were prepared and they did not open until 9am. I waited until 9am. I called and spoke to a representative who advised that I needed to set up an account at www.jacksonhewitt.com. Which I did. It showed my refund had been sent to the irs and acknowledged but, there was no information on the advance. I checked www.irs.gov and it confirmed this information. I waited about 2 hours, still no text message received and the only emails from JH were confirming that I set up my online account with them. I called the office back, the girl advised me to call the phone number on the back of the card, which I did. She stated "people have been calling all day and this is what they did to solve the problem". I called the number and it gave me no more information about the card other than the $50 balance. I then called JH back another person told me to go to www.200forfree.com. She told me that I needed to select the apply button for the loan. However, last night I saw the tax preparer select apply for loan. I told her this and she told me to select it anyway and follow the prompts and I should have a text message telling me to esign my documents in a few minutes. I did that, waited one hour, NO text message/NO email. I called the local office back. Someone else in the local office told me to go to the SAME website and login because "that's what everybody else that had been calling and complaining about NOT getting their money told her they did". I logged in and the message stated my application was processing. I accidentally logged out and logged back in, and I was told that there was NO application. She told me to hit Apply again, which I did and I was sent through the same prompts again. Same thing, no application, then there was an application. Then they told me to call a phone number for the "bank" that approves the loan. In all I hit apply and completed the application at least 6 times. Finally I received a text message telling me to go esign my documents with a link. I typed the link in on my computer and entered my login information and was told there was no application. I tried the link fromt he phone and I was told there was no application. I waited, tried to just log in to the regular link and I was told that I needed to read and sign the application which I did. The signature was the last four of my social. When I click applied it told me I was denied. Of course I was pissed especially because it was advertised that there was no credit check. I called the office back. they gave me another number to call and I spoke to someone overseas with BAD ENGLISH who told me she didn't know why and couldn't tell me why, I just need to wait on a letter. I called the local office back, same old run around.I am not exactly sure what happened. My credit actually is not that bad, It's not an 800 but it's not a 650 either LOL! I try VERY hard to live within my means and I don't take out loans at all if I can help it.

This all seems like a GLORIFIED SCAM. Just something to SUCKER you in.

So I fell for it BUT NEVER AGAIN. Back to doing my own taxes. $305 is not worth it.

BUYER BEWARE.

P.S. I actually would love for someone who ACTUALLY got the money to share their experience with us.....