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When Sara Jenkins got a notice from state officials saying she had not paid her 2007 taxes, she knew something was wrong.

"I knew I'd paid my tax," says Jenkins. "So I went into my computer, my online banking, and pulled up the check, photocopied the check and sent it in. I thought, 'Okay, they made a mistake.'"

Unfortunately for Jenkins, the State Department of Taxation and Finance did not agree.

"I got the same letter back again saying 'No, you haven't paid,'" she says.

Jenkins called Department of Taxation and Finance and discovered that the City Department of Finance had cashed her check, even though she had made it out and sent it to the state.

Completely confused, Jenkins says the state still held her responsible, and that officials told her, "You actually have to get the money back from the City DOF and you still owe us money and now you owe us penalties and interest for not paying it on time."

To add insult to injury, the state withheld her 2008 refund of $1,500 and put a lien on her bank account and credit.

Jenkins tried in vain to contact The Department of Finance.

"The number that I was given was disconnected and then when I went through the 311 system I couldn't get through to the City DOF," says Jenkins. "I guess when you punch the numbers for personal taxes, it sends you to the New York Department of State. And I kind of got frustrated at that point and decided maybe I need to let my accountant handle it."

That didn't work either. Repeated letters from Jenkins's accountant to the City DOF went unanswered, so Jenkins then called NY1 For You.

NY1 contacted the DOF and a spokesman said he could not discuss the details of Jenkins's case due to privacy concerns. Yet he did say the agency would reach out to her immediately.

Jenkins told NY1 that city officials called her to say the mixup was cleared up and she would be getting her money back with interest. It was the end to a truly taxing experience.