It is the latest in a series of actions against Intuit claiming it lured customers by promising free use filing if they used TurboTax, but then charged them for the service.

In April 2022, a U.S. judge refused an FTC request to block Intuit’s use of the ads but the next month, Intuit agreed to pay $141 to settle claims by the governments of all states and the District of Columbia which claimed it tricked customer into buying TurboTax. Intuit admitted to wrongdoing in entering into the agreement.

The settlement required Intuit to stop using slogans that used phrases such as "TurboTax Free is free. Free free free free".”

Intuit said it already is complying with most of the point in the FTC decision and claimed it has been fair and transparent in with its customers “and is committed to free tax preparation".

Bob Scott

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Bob Scott has provided information to the tax and accounting community since 1991, first as technology editor of Accounting Today, and from 1997 through 2009 as editor of its sister publication, Accounting Technology. He is known throughout the industry for his depth of knowledge and for his high journalistic standards.  Scott has made frequent appearances as a speaker, moderator and panelist and events serving tax and accounting professionals. He  has a strong background in computer journalism as an editor with two former trade publications, Computer+Software News and MIS Week and spent several years with weekly and daily newspapers in Morris County New Jersey prior to that.  A graduate of Indiana University with a degree in journalism, Bob is a native of Madison, Ind