In my previous posts, I have been sharing my personal feelings about fraudalent tax preparers. Some people may say "hey Jamaal, you sound like a hater against your competition!" Well that is cool with me because I have no love for fradualent tax preparers. I'm going straight to the source in my last post of this series. I will share information directly from the IRS website. Click on the source link for the entire IRS message.

Helpful Hints When Choosing a Return Preparer

• Be cautious of tax preparers who claim they can obtain larger refunds than other preparers.
• Avoid preparers who base their fee on a percentage of the amount of the refund.
• Use a reputable tax professional who signs your tax return and provides you with a copy for your records.
• Consider whether the individual or firm will be around to answer questions about the preparation of your tax return months, or even years, after the return has been filed.
• Review your return before you sign it and ask questions on entries you don't understand.
• No matter who prepares your tax return, you, the taxpayer, are ultimately responsible for all of the information on your tax return. Therefore, never sign a blank tax form.
• Find out the person’s credentials. Only attorneys, certified public accountants (CPAs) and enrolled agents can represent taxpayers before the IRS in all matters including audits, collection and appeals. Other return preparers may only represent taxpayers for audits of returns they actually prepared.
• Find out if the preparer is affiliated with a professional organization that provides its members with continuing education and resources and holds them to a code of ethics.
• Ask questions. Do you know anyone who has used the tax professional? Were they satisfied with the service they received?

SOURCE: https://www.irs.gov/uac/tax-return-preparer-fraud-2