Pontiac Woman Claims Tax Refund Check for over $6,000 Stolen

OAK PARK, Mich. (WJBK) -- She paid her taxes and was anxiously awaiting a huge refund, but after filing with a tax company in Oak Park, she says her refund check was stolen. It appears this woman may not the only one with this problem.

Teshea Wilson wanted to get her tax refund as quickly as possible. The Pontiac woman filed the first week of January, but when she was due to pick up her check, it was nowhere to be found.

"She told me that ... your check's been stolen. It was cashed," said Wilson.

Someone stole her refund check from Instant Tax Service in Oak Park and cashed it in for more than $6,000.

"The person wrote my signature on the check. It was not my signature at all. Right Social Security number, wrong driver's license number," Wilson explained.

It didn't take long for Wilson to realize she wasn't alone. She claims others came in at the same time complaining the same thing happened to them.

"This is not fair for us hard working, single people out here that have kids and responsibilities. We shouldn't have to go through this," Wilson said.

So, if these customers didn't cash their checks, who did? That's what we went to find out, and according to the owner, he believes it was an inside job.

"That's my guess," he said.

"Do you have any idea who it is?" FOX 2's Taryn Asher asked.

"My new staff," he responded. "We suspended all the new staff."

The owner, who reported this to Oak Park Police, said he was aware of at least three stolen checks, and it's probably not a coincidence that all three were cashed at Von's Express on Grand River in Detroit, listed on the checks as Three Sons Enterprise.

By phone, the owner told us his workers make sure to check the person's Social Security number and identification.

Whoever is responsible, that person got away with thousands of dollars in tax refunds, money Wilson said she has been counting on and sadly is still waiting on since Instant Tax Service has yet to make it right.

"That's a bunch of bull. The officer knows, they know it was an inside job. I wasn't the only victim here. They need to be issuing out my money. It's not right," said Wilson.

The owner did tell us that he plans to give Wilson and anybody else affected their money, but he's just waiting for proof from police that this was a case of stolen checks and fraud.