FTC sues Intuit to stop ‘bait-and-switch’ TurboTax ads

By TALI ARBEL
AP Business Writer

The Federal Trade Commission is suing TurboTax maker Intuit, saying its ads for “free” tax filing misled consumers. The consumer protection agency said millions of consumers cannot actually use the free tax-prep software option because they are ineligible for it. The agency says Intuit has for years focused on the word “free” in its ads, running them during major events like the Super Bowl. The FTC has asked a federal judge to order Intuit to stop what it said were Intuit’s deceptive ads during the rush of tax season. Intuit says it will challenge the suit.