FTC Sues H&R Block for Deceptive Marketing in Free File Program

The lawsuit alleges that H&R Block misled consumers and made it difficult to access more affordable filing options.

The FTC has filed a complaint against H&R Block, alleging deceptive marketing and unfair practices in its free file program.
H&R Block is accused of making it difficult for users to downgrade to more affordable options and deleting their tax data if they attempt to.
The company is also charged with misleading consumers about the eligibility for its free filing option, which is not available to many.
H&R Block has responded, asserting that it offers fair and transparent pricing and multiple mechanisms for downgrading.
This is the second recent FTC action against tax filing software providers, following a similar case against Intuit's TurboTax.