FTC bans TurboTax from advertising 'free' services, calls deceptive advertising

Re:FTC bans TurboTax from advertising 'free' services, calls... by keepamovin on Monday January 22, 2024 @08:50PM (#39098477)

Finally! This is only 30 years too late. Also, let’s hope the IRS’ current beta of self filing app is successful.

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Re:FTC bans TurboTax from advertising 'free' services, calls... by bubblethink on Monday January 22, 2024 @08:57PM (#39098541)

This will get stayed during the appeal, so status quo will remain for this tax season. And next year there are many new variables, potentially a new government, SC's Chevron ruling which may limit what FTC can do, etc. I don't think this is going to stick.

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Re:FTC bans TurboTax from advertising 'free' services, calls... by Guvante on Monday January 22, 2024 @09:33PM (#39098860)

Honestly it might not. It sounds like Intuit already has prepared advertising that fulfils the requirements from threads here.

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Re:FTC bans TurboTax from advertising 'free' services, calls... by bobro on Monday January 22, 2024 @10:20PM (#39099199)

What was happening 30 years ago? I would have guessed the online filing stuff and advertising based on "free" was much more recent?

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Re:FTC bans TurboTax from advertising 'free' services, calls... by keepamovin on Tuesday January 23, 2024 @11:28PM (#39113620)

Unfortunately, Turbo Tax has been around for a long time doing this kind of "scam". It predates any particular channels they sent this scam on, tho. Hahah! :)

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Re:FTC bans TurboTax from advertising 'free' services, calls... by MikeTheGreat on Monday January 22, 2024 @09:03PM (#39098582)

Could you say more about the "self filing app"? A quick Google search didn't turn up anything (which probably says more about my current lack of sleep than anything :) )

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Re:FTC bans TurboTax from advertising 'free' services, calls... by daswerth on Monday January 22, 2024 @09:10PM (#39098652)

https://www.irs.gov/about-irs/strategic-plan/direct-file

Not to be confused with IRS Free File

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Re:FTC bans TurboTax from advertising 'free' services, calls... by MikeTheGreat on Monday January 22, 2024 @11:43PM (#39099731)

Thank you for the link.

I found the Free File thing but it didn't quite sound like what you were talking about :)

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Re:FTC bans TurboTax from advertising 'free' services, calls... by bubblethink on Monday January 22, 2024 @09:17PM (#39098701)

Hah, saw that you edited the url. These government naming schemes are designed to fail. Why do they pick these absolute terms like "free" when there will clearly be some new thing that will be better? I'm waiting for the next version of REAL id, a realer id.

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Re:FTC bans TurboTax from advertising 'free' services, calls... by daswerth on Monday January 22, 2024 @09:32PM (#39098856)

For real. I did some reading to try to understand the rationale. I _think_ Free File is a general program which lots of "services" can participate in, including TurboTax. Direct File is akin to (but maybe not actually the same as) a IRS offering in the Free File program.

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Re:FTC bans TurboTax from advertising 'free' services, calls... by whakim on Tuesday January 23, 2024 @02:00AM (#39100387)

As engineers I feel we should show a little bit of sympathy for difficulties involving naming ;)

In all seriousness though, Free File pretty much does what it says on the tin (allows low-income taxpayers to file for free); it has existed since 2003; and it has been pretty successful all things considered (Intuit and H&R Block's best efforts notwithstanding). I think it's a reasonable name.

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Re:FTC bans TurboTax from advertising 'free' services, calls... by sf_rob on Tuesday January 23, 2024 @12:34AM (#39099970)

Typical government product launch website. As far as I can tell, they don’t provide a link to where the service will be available or date of availability despite it being tax season. I guess you are to check back if you’re potentially eligible or sign up for the newsletter.

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