H&R tax form EZ for free--what could possiblay go wrorbng?

[xfundy]

Seeing those ads all over the web. Are they acting out of benevolence, or corporate greed?

Tax prep reveals some data, SS#s, as well as other stuff the preparer may enter based on observation. zip codes are important indicators, as are willngnness to get a "tax refund loan" at high interest rates.

Maybe I'm paranoid (duh), but when I was a young student of marketing I thought it would be Great to be able to target ads, etc, to specific groups or individuals--then I learned about the biz, grew up a little and thought about what they might accomplish with that data, especially if someone with bad intent got ahold of it.

CorpoRATS are never benevolent. neither are grocery chains, with "loyalty cards."

for instance, insurance companies would love to know who buys processed foods, cheeses, salty snacks, etc., and mark that group and/or compare that data to let's say produce-buying habits, especially if they knew that certain fresh produce had been GMO'd with certain stuff. Little increases in rates, or denial of patients, etc., but into the database it goes.

OK, I'm rambling, but hopefully someone here will get the idea and pick it up and run with it.

[PBS Poll-435]

1. Nah this is just to upsell to a full 1040. Brilliant marketing ploy, honestly.

Get you in the door. I don't think they are going to do anything sinister with your personal information.

[customerserviceguy]

2. You can already get a free Federal form from TurboTax

This is just H&R Block trying it's hand at nagging people to buy 'special' services to help them 'manage their finances' and possibly audit risk. If you legitimately qualify to file an EZ, you're not going to get audited, period.