Attorney General Lynn Fitch has announced that consumers who were tricked into paying for free tax services through Intuit’s TurboTax will begin receiving checks from a $141-million multi-state settlement that she first announced in May 2022. Nearly 38,000 Mississippi consumers will receive more than $1.15 million. Eligible consumers will be contacted by email about the settlement and will not need to file any claims. Checks will be mailed throughout May 2023.
“Nearly 38,000 Mississippians were misled into paying for tax filing services that should have been free,”Fitch said. “I am pleased these Mississippians will finally receive some restitution and I am hopeful this investigation and settlement will put an end to similar deceptive marketing practices.”
The settlement is the result of a multi-state investigation that found that Intuit was using deceptive digital tactics to steer low-income consumers toward its commercial products and away from federally-supported free tax services. Eligible consumers include those who paid to file their federal tax returns through TurboTax for tax years 2016, 2017, and 2018 but were eligible to file for free through the IRS Free File Program. All 50 states and the District of Columbia have signed onto the agreement. Approximately 4.4 million consumers nationwide will receive checks in the mail from the settlement.
Consumers who are eligible for a payment will be notified by email by the settlement fund administrator, Rust Consulting. These consumers will receive a check in the mail automatically, without filing a claim. Checks are expected to be mailed out starting this week. The amount each consumer receives will be based on the number of tax years for which they qualify. Most consumers are expected to receive between $29 and $30.
“As with any financial matter, be on the lookout for scams or phishing. My office will not be contacting you regarding this matter. Consumers are advised that they do not have to pay money or provide account information to receive their payment. If you receive any email regarding this settlement, be sure it comes from the domain @rcnotifications.com,” said Fitch.
For more information about who is covered by the settlement, and information about the settlement fund, please visit www.AGTurboTaxSettlement.com. If you have any questions, please also feel free to contact Attorney General Fitch’s Consumer Protection Division at 601-359-3680 or consumer@ago.ms.gov.
