“Absent such provisional relief, Defendant would be free to continue disseminating the deceptive claim that consumers can file their taxes for free using TurboTax when in truth, in numerous instances. Defendant does not permit consumers to file their taxes for free using TurboTax. The Commission requires the aid of this Court to prevent interim harm to consumers during the pendency of an administrative trial on the merits,” according to the FTC.
In a statement, FTC Bureau of Consumer Protection Director Samuel Levine said, “TurboTax is bombarding consumers with ads for ‘free’ tax filing services, and then hitting them with charges when it’s time to file. We are asking a court to immediately halt this bait-and-switch, and to protect taxpayers at the peak of filing season.”
