I went into the H&R Block office today and Cynthia M. Zalewski decided she was going to handle my…read moreissue. After standing in skin tight leopard print pants and a faded cotton tank top, mask-less no less, for several minutes trying to tie her mask in accordance with what "Dr. Pimple Popper" suggested, she sat down. I wasn't sure if I was in Walmart or a tax preparation office. I told her that my 2018 return was incorrect, and an amended return was prepared by the office located at 21 Mile Road, which has been closed since March, 2020. After leaving messages with no return phone call, I contacted this office on Hall Road to make an appointment. They never told me to bring anything. I did bring my Notice CP22A which indicated I owed interest due to the mistake made by H&R Block. As my return was in the system electronically, I didn't see a reason to bring it.
Cynthia proceeded to repeatedly enter my husband's social security number then ask for my date of birth. I finally had to point out that if she was using his social security number she would probably need his date of birth. That did the trick. She began by telling me that the notice was dated March 30, 2020 and it was past the time they could submit it. She asked me what mistake was made on the return and I told her that Janet Johnson took our deductions and multiplied by two, a known glitch in the system. Cynthia continued looking at the return and began to tell me I was wrong, nothing was ever itemized. I insisted it had been itemized, she told me I was wrong. She was glaring at me trying to shame me into backing down, when I had no paperwork in front of me and she had the entire return and amended return in front of her on the computer. After wondering why any of this made a difference when I was only looking for a refund of the interest we paid, as H&R Block had already reviewed the return and acknowledged the mistake, I said "Well whatever the fuck she did when she filed our return, she had to amend it because it was wrong". Cynthia slammed both of her hands on the desk and told me that if I didn't stop using that language and calm down that I could fix the problem myself. I apologized for swearing. She then began to argue again about the fact that Janet did not itemize our original return. I asked for her manager and she said she was the manager. Then I asked who signed her check and she informed me that Jeffrey Jones the CEO of H&R Block was the one to speak to directly about this situation. I then asked if I should call the corporate office to have them review this issue and Cynthia told me that neither the CEO of H&R Block, nor anyone at headquarters would know how to fix this issue. But just a moment before she thrust my penalty notice back at me and told me I could fix it myself. If no one at headquarters could fix the mistake made at the branch office, then how was I supposed to fix it myself? I told her that coming to H&R Block was the worst mistake we ever made, and she again told me I could fix H&R Block's error myself. I had to wonder if Dr. Pimple Popper had given bad information and the mask Cynthia was so diligently tying when we began had started to cut off the circulation in her head. Of course her pants were like a second skin, perhaps the circulation problem was coming from below the waist.
At this time Cathleen Apley came over and tried to deescalate the situation. Cynthia told her I brought the notice in too late, and they couldn't do anything. Cathleen said that because the office had been closed for months they could get around that. She said that the amendment was wrong and I never should have paid the additional fees. At this point I lost all faith in everything happening in front of me. I asked how many H&R Block employees it took to prepare an accurate return. Finally, Cathleen determined that what I had been saying was correct, the original 2018 return had been itemized and the amount was doubled. I confirmed this with her again as Cynthia stood mute next to her never acknowledging that she had been yelling at me over something she was wrong about. Thanks Cynthia, you're great with customers, keep up the good work.
Cathleen told me repeatedly that she wanted to help, and she did. Had it not been for her I do believe Cynthia would have launched herself and her leopard pants right over the desk. I managed to apologize for using the word "fuck" but Cynthia couldn't pull herself together enough to do the same. I was already the victim of shoddy work and poor customer service, now I was treated to hostility the likes of which should never be directed at a victim. I highly doubt when I reach the CEO he will know who Cynthia is, but she is apparently the one in charge of the office. The pressure is getting to her because she acted like she was talking to her teenage daughter who wouldn't pick up her dirty clothes. Horrible experience provided by a horrible person.
