The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) imposed a $7 million fine on tax-preparation giant H&R Block for what it describes as “unlawful practices,” including misleading claims about “free” tax-filing services and failures in customer support systems.
The FTC announced on Jan. 8 that it had finalized a settlement with H&R Block, which denies wrongdoing but has agreed to pay the fine and implement significant reforms. These include improving transparency in advertising, upgrading customer-service processes, and providing clearer pricing and product disclosures to ensure compliance with federal consumer protection laws.
