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mommy2be716
LIF Adult
Member since 1/16 2921 total posts
Name:
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Re: I got taken - I can't believe it- STAR related
Posted by brooklynbird
Yup! I got the letter last week. Made me so happy to see something is actually happening. Getting all the paperwork together now to send to assistant AG. I was unaware of this unfolding because after so much frustration (and research on the guy which just made me more mad) i just gave up thinking anyone would go after the scumbag. Fingers crossed this works out. He deserves to go to jail but i'll take getting my money back.
what paperwork did you put together? We just wrote back with the amount we paid, and took a snapshot of our bank statement from that month showing the deposit.
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Posted 7/9/17 6:03 PM  |
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brooklynbird
LIF Zygote
Member since 7/17 15 total posts
Name:
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Re: I got taken - I can't believe it- STAR related
The invoice that was sent to us from Arie originally and another letter he sent saying the amount we saved/owed. Trying to find copy of check we sent. And wrote a letter saying what we actually paid after we went to court which was less than the invoice quote. I'm surprised we even still had this stuff because honestly we were so pissed i feel like we burned everything out of anger because we just wanted to forget it ever happened lol
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| Posted 7/9/17 7:33 PM |
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Re: I got taken - I can't believe it- STAR related
Hi,
I was wondering if you had contacted the attorney general prior to this letter? Did you submit the claim already? I was contacted last year by the AG. I have not heard anything in over a year.
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| Posted 7/9/17 8:06 PM |
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Re: I got taken - I can't believe it- STAR related
Hi, is this the first time you are in contact with the AG office? I was contacted by the AG last year and he was hopeful I would get my money back and have yet to hear from them again. I wasn't sure if you got the letter because you had been in contact with the AG already.
Thanks!!!
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| Posted 7/9/17 8:07 PM |
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brooklynbird
LIF Zygote
Member since 7/17 15 total posts
Name:
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Re: I got taken - I can't believe it- STAR related
I did not contact AG directly but had filed claims with BBB and consumer affairs. We did go to small claims court over it though so maybe that's why we got a letter.
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| Posted 7/10/17 7:52 AM |
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mommy2be716
LIF Adult
Member since 1/16 2921 total posts
Name:
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Re: I got taken - I can't believe it- STAR related
Posted by brooklynbird
I did not contact AG directly but had filed claims with BBB and consumer affairs. We did go to small claims court over it though so maybe that's why we got a letter.
I didn't go to small claims and still got the letter. I did file through consumer affairs though
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| Posted 7/10/17 8:33 AM |
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merplumm
LIF Zygote
Member since 7/17 28 total posts
Name:
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Re: I got taken - I can't believe it- STAR related
I was also a victim of this. I ended up going to court, and they sent me to mediation. I showed up to the mediation room before Mr. Gal, and the mediator told me to just settle for the discounted amount because no one wins before the judge; so that's what I did.
I complained literally everywhere I could: post office, AG, consumer affairs, [etc.].
I was later contacted by Nassau County and asked for anything I had from him (letters, envelopes, [etc.]). I scanned everything and e-mailed it to them.
I then received a call telling me he is being sued.
I never received a letter as everyone here has recently posted. Can someone please provide a phone number and name for reference that I should contact, as I believe I should be receiving this letter as well?
Thanks in advance, and good luck to everyone!
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| Posted 7/11/17 1:45 PM |
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brooklynbird
LIF Zygote
Member since 7/17 15 total posts
Name:
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Re: I got taken - I can't believe it- STAR related
I would contact Christina H. Bedell, Assistant Attorney General, Special Investigations & Prosecutions Unit. 200 old country road suite 240 Mineola 11501. Phone number is 516 248 3301. She is the woman who sent the letters out on behalf of Eric Schneiderman, the AG.
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| Posted 7/11/17 1:56 PM |
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Re: I got taken - I can't believe it- STAR related
Hi everyone,
Just saw in Newsday that we are finally going to get restitution for STAR exemption advisor scam. I encourage everyone to read the article. IF you have not contacted the AG yet you definitely should!!!
https://www.newsday.com/long-island/nassau/nassau-company-star-restitution-1.16291184
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| Posted 1/22/18 7:40 AM |
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Peainapod
Peanuts are here!
Member since 1/09 13591 total posts
Name:
Diana
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Re: I got taken - I can't believe it- STAR related
Posted by Isabellasmom83113
Hi everyone,
Just saw in Newsday that we are finally going to get restitution for STAR exemption advisor scam. I encourage everyone to read the article. IF you have not contacted the AG yet you definitely should!!!
https://www.newsday.com/long-island/nassau/nassau-company-star-restitution-1.16291184
can you post the content of the article? if you're not a subscriber you cant read the article.
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| Posted 1/22/18 9:11 AM |
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mommy2be716
LIF Adult
Member since 1/16 2921 total posts
Name:
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I got taken - I can't believe it- STAR related
I just posted about this on another thread on the family board because i didn't realize this was resurfaced. I posted the article contents on there
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| Posted 1/22/18 9:49 AM |
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Re: I got taken - I can't believe it- STAR related
This is from Newsday.
ALBANY — A state court has ordered full restitution for homeowners who paid a Nassau County company a total of at least $1.5 million for help in completing a form for the state’s STAR tax exemption, which is free to submit, according to state Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman.
Schneiderman said a tax preparation company called YCA Corp., based in East Meadow, operated as a “STAR exemption advisor.” Through mailers, the company offered to help homeowners complete forms to receive the state property tax break.
Schneiderman said YCA Corp. submitted bills to residents that often equaled the entire first-year tax break due the taxpayer. If the homeowner refused to pay, the company threatened to take the case to small claims court. That often prompted the customers to pay a settlement to avoid court, he said.
An accounting is underway to find customers who are due full restitution. The company also will face civil penalties under the state Supreme Court decision, Schneiderman said.
“Preying on and deceiving New Yorkers by manipulating the STAR program — one of the few forms of financial relief available to homeowners — is shameful and illegal,” Schneiderman said.
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| Posted 1/22/18 12:47 PM |
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Re: I got taken - I can't believe it- STAR related
What other board did you post it on?
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| Posted 1/22/18 12:51 PM |
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I got taken - I can't believe it- STAR related
Hi everyone,
I just spoke with Brian Stieglitz who is a reporter from the East Meadow Herald. He would like to speak with anyone who has been scammed by this company. They will be running an article in the herald. Let's all try and contact him!! You can reach him at 516 569 4000 ext 246.
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| Posted 1/22/18 5:25 PM |
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merplumm
LIF Zygote
Member since 7/17 28 total posts
Name:
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Re: I got taken - I can't believe it- STAR related
I was quoted in Newsday today. Be mindful that if you speak to press, the “comment” section will get nasty. Apparently I’m an idiot... I don’t blame anyone who got scammed by this man. This wasn’t the run of the mill scams...
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| Posted 1/22/18 5:33 PM |
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brooklynbird
LIF Zygote
Member since 7/17 15 total posts
Name:
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I got taken - I can't believe it- STAR related
Thank god! Thanks for the update. Now all they need to do is throw Ari in jail. Also, i’m shocked by the negative comments ?? (insert sarcasm). Anyone who is name-calling doesn’t grasp the breadth of this scam. And the cronyism beyond the scam.
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| Posted 1/22/18 6:51 PM |
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LovesMike
LIF Adult
Member since 8/10 978 total posts
Name:
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I got taken - I can't believe it- STAR related
Just signed on here to post about the newsday article. I have thoughts...
First, has this really been going on since my original post in 2013?! Wow!! I'm really glad this thread exists so I can occasionally come back to it and refresh my memory on the issues and the timeline. I agree with the previous poster who warned about being quoted in the press. You can see hints in this thread alone if people who blame us for falling for this scam. Lastly, any idea how they might get reimbursements out?? I'm so happy about this!! This guy deserves everything coming to him!!
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| Posted 1/23/18 8:39 PM |
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brooklynbird
LIF Zygote
Member since 7/17 15 total posts
Name:
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Re: I got taken - I can't believe it- STAR related
I would contact Christina H. Bedell, Assistant Attorney General, Special Investigations & Prosecutions Unit. 200 old country road suite 240 Mineola 11501. Phone number is 516 248 3301. She is the woman who sent the letters (inquiring about how much we paid Ari) on behalf of Eric Schneiderman, the AG.
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| Posted 1/24/18 9:30 AM |
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I got taken - I can't believe it- STAR related
Hi,
Yes I would also contact Christina H. Bedell. If you had already filed an affidavit with the A.G. you are in the system. I contacted their office on Monday. They told me that the court ruled in our favor. The hearing to determine how much Star Exemption Adviser has to pay in restitution and penalties is scheduled for April or sometime after. She also said you will receive a restitution check as a result of this case. But, if Star Exemption Adviser decides to appeal it and higher court rules against us then we may not. Overall, at this time she could not tell me how much until the court rules on the restitution and damages.
I just wanted to let everyone know how grateful I am for this LIFamilies site. I can not believe that we have been using this wall to update everyone since 2013. I am so happy justice is finally prevailing!
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| Posted 1/24/18 9:44 AM |
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SecretlyTTC14
LIF Adult
Member since 12/13 1770 total posts
Name:
B
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Re: I got taken - I can't believe it- STAR related
This is all so interesting to me. I know people have taken him to small claims and lost. So, I wonder how much the reimbursements will be. Will it be like a class-action where you'll eventually get a check for like $0.50? or will it be a considerable amount of money. Either way, I'm glad he can't do this to people anymore.
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| Posted 1/24/18 10:10 AM |
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brooklynbird
LIF Zygote
Member since 7/17 15 total posts
Name:
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Re: I got taken - I can't believe it- STAR related
I think the goal is full restitution, meaning we all get back what we paid, which is why the AG wanted proof of how much we paid Ari. We also took him to small claims court and lost. No one, and I mean no one, wins against him in small claims court. He’s in there almost every week according to people who work there. He is on a first name basis with everyone and vice versa. The chumminess felt like insult to injury. I went down a rabbit hole after this happened and had a folder filled with information about him and his “companies”. He definitely has enough money, liquid or otherwise, to pay everyone back. But this could be years from now if he appeals the decision which of course he will do. It might get stuck bouncing around from court to court.
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| Posted 1/24/18 10:33 AM |
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brooklynbird
LIF Zygote
Member since 7/17 15 total posts
Name:
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Re: I got taken - I can't believe it- STAR related
Pix 11 did a short segment last night. Apparently Gal made over 1.5 million dollars through this scam. Ughhhhh. https://www.google.com/amp/pix11.com/2018/01/29/howard-chases-scammer-the-law-caught-him/amp/
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| Posted 1/30/18 9:48 AM |
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abcdefghi
LIF Adolescent
Member since 5/13 685 total posts
Name:
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I got taken - I can't believe it- STAR related
What about Maidenbaum & Sternberg, LLP can they charge 50%?
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| Posted 1/30/18 1:23 PM |
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mommy2be716
LIF Adult
Member since 1/16 2921 total posts
Name:
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Re: I got taken - I can't believe it- STAR related
Posted by abcdefghi
What about Maidenbaum & Sternberg, LLP can they charge 50%?
This was not a tax grievance case, it was a STAR reduction scam.
Filing for a tax grievance is a bit more complicated than simply filling out a STAR form. Because of that, firms are allowed to offer it as a service and charge a 50% fee. They are also clearly stating their terms and fees upfront, and it is up to you to decide if you want to go ahead with it. This thread was in regards to a man who sent out STAR reduction forms, which are FREE, to file with the county, and filed them on his own behalf. He then sent bills for the entire STAR savings, stating that we all signed contracts agreeing to the 100% fee.
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| Posted 1/30/18 6:19 PM |
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seaside
LIF Adult
Member since 6/08 3101 total posts
Name:
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Re: I got taken - I can't believe it- STAR related
It is SO gratifying to hear that you guys prevailed and stuck to your guns. I remember some of the victim shaming that went on here by people who did not understand the legal issues presented and were quick to shame and blame.
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| Posted 1/31/18 12:55 PM |
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