Santa Barbara Tax Products Group

[Concerned4]

I need a refund for my fees.  My tax refund is on hold for almost three weeks.  This is unacceptable.

[hrdknox]

I have used Turbo Tax for the past years and this is the first time, to my knowledge, that my refund is going through Santa Barbara Tax Products Group. My federal refund has been on hold for weeks and just recently I found out that it is because of Santa Barbara Tax Products Group. They process the refund when you have the Turbo Tax fee taken out of your refund. I received an email from them requesting my personal information. At first I thought it was fraudulent, but eventually submitted my information only after verifying their affiliation through Turbo Tax. I hope my refund gets sent soon

Turbo Tax should process my refund, not a third party. I am considering using another software program next time. 

[yimeli]

I agree, if a third party is involved in my federal income tax refund, i will definetly consider another means next year. The fee is an option, yet it does not state that if you (one) chooses this option for payment, that santa barbara will hold my return until payment from the irs is paid to them,
maybe i should just choose another method now.

[Stephaniej]

Does any one have the customer service number for Santa Barbara Tax Products Group?  I uploaded a copy of my ID and it still says that my funds are on hold.... Is this legal? How long does it take to be verified and for my funds to be released?  I am very frustrated and angry that this is something that can be done by a "bank".  I am going to look into filing a lawsuit as well.

[karell3535]

Everyone who has been misled by TurboTax and Santa Barbara bank need to get together and file a lawsuit against them

[entreaur]

TOTALLY AGREE - THIS IS CAUSING ME SEVERE HARDSHIP AND DURESS.  Everyone who has been misled by TurboTax and Santa Barbara bank need to get together and file a lawsuit against them

[touigivethnx]

I have used turbo tax for the last 4 years.. when u don't pay the fees upfront and get them taken out your refund they always..always go thru Santa Barbara and they release them to u on the date the irs says..now with these new laws to protect against scanners and fraud they maybe taking extra steps to ensure identity because I remember like 2 years ago ppl scammed ppl on using turbo tax so they maybe being extra careful this year ..

[peterpiper29]

Don't do it!!! It's literally HELL trying to get in contact with anyone that knows anything about Santa Barbara group. I've been trying to verify my identity for 4 weeks and nothing yet. They have already received my refund but my verification doesn't get confirmed. Something as simple as sending a picture of my ID... I'VE DONE IT ABOUT SIX TIMES!!! I call Santa Barbara and the automated machine takes me to where I can't get help and then I get "goodbye" and click. There's a number to get a "live" person and an automated number, but guess what??? THEY ARE BOTH MACHINES AND BOTH WILL HANG UP ON YOU!!! I am definitely going to be using alternative ways of filing for my taxes. I had never had a problem with turbotax and I see why so many people are leaving.... Turbotax is not worth your time!!

[touigivethnx]

You can always pay the fees upfront.. my friend did hers up front and then irs will deposit it directly into ur acct..

[pforoush]

just spent 2 hours with turbotax superviser and guess what.. nobody knows nothing about nothing.  They are trating sbtpg like its not their problem even though they contracted them to process their fees and they sent MY money there without any way of contacting them directly.  According to turbotax support supervisor and "tier 2" support they have the same phone number we do and therefore have no way to contact sbtpg to find out whats going on.  I insisted on having my fees refunded which they were happy to do but this still doesnt help me get my refund from sbtpg.  As a matter of fact, the support person told me they have an explicit memo to refund fees to anyone having this issue which tells me they are completely unable to control the situation.  Thanks turbotax!

[kemaneseandra]

Holding the payment as long as they can earns SBTPG a LOT of money in interest.  Millions a dollars sitting in SBTPG's accounts for even one extra day is worth thousands in interest. The scam is made worse by asking us to sbmit personal info, only to ignore it so they can hold onto you cash longet. TurboTax is still saying that SBTPG is trustworthy.

[anettemom]

I am in the same scenario as well.SBTPG request to submit personal info,then ignore uploaded info,as well as don't have live customer support but advise on their website they do.This is an unacceptable business practice when dealing with customer funds.

[anniem17184]

I am having the same problem.  Sent my drivers license to SBTPG four times, because they said there was 'unusual activity,'  can't ever speak to anyone there, because as long as they're stating the false 'unusual activity on your account' you get disconnected afterwards.  I have called Turbotax numerous times as well.  I've asked Turbotax if they can contact SBTPG, but apparently that is impossible.  And the reps at Turbotax say they're totally unaware of any problem with SBTPG.  You've got to be kidding me.
  I'm beginning to wonder if this Santa Barbara Group even exists.  Has anyone ever actually received their refund from this shifty place?  Do we have to get an attorney to deal with this?

[anettemom]

That what I would like to know as well.In addition was anyone ever advised funds are being returned to IRS???

[anniem17184]

Ok, I finally got my refund deposited into my bank today.  I'm hoping this will help some of you.  After sending my drivers license countless times to SBTPG, I finally told them I wasn't going to do it anymore, and that I was going to have my attorney deal with them from now on.  The next day I got an email from SBTPG saying that my refund was no longer on hold, and the day after that they deposited my refund into my bank account.   So I highly recommend telling them that you are bringing in an attorney.  Hope this helps, and good luck to everyone.