On Jan. 3 we reported that the commercial online service, CompuServe, is sending out checks to all New York state customers who paid CompuServe fees before March 1999. The checks are for New York State Sales taxes that CompuServe collected and remitted to the state of New York for monthly subscription and usage fees.
In the story we reported that if you were a CompuServe member in New York State before March 1999, you are most likely entitled to this refund. However, if you stopped using CompuServe, CompuServe is mailing the checks to whatever address they had for you when you cancelled the service. At the time we didn’t know what the folks who are no longer at their previous address should do, but now we do.
Kim Wilder-Lee, director of communications of CompuServe, told MacCentral that CompuServe has already sent tax refund checks out to every member in New York State who was due a tax refund.
“In cases where checks have been returned to us because of an outdated street address, CompuServe will attempt to contact the member via the most recent email address we have on file,” said Wilder-Lee. “If the email address is also outdated, no further contact attempts are possible.”
“So, current and former CompuServe members in New York State who paid Internet sales taxes from February of 1998 to March of 1999 and who have moved since that time or have not yet received their tax refund check, should call the New York Department of Taxation directly at (800) CALL-TAX to apply for their refunds with their updated contact information,” Wilder-Lee said.