I just wrote an email to Intuit, makers of Turbo Tax products. It won’t matter, but I felt better anyway. The New York Times had an article this past Sunday on false advertising or bait and switch as we know it.

One major discount on-line store was sued for millions in 2014 and the government is going after the rest of the on-line sellers for the same. In the eyes of the government, a retail price cannot be considered a retail price if every retailer has the same discounted price on the item. Duh!

This morning I received an email from Intuit – 50% off if you purchase today. $17.49 for their base product. Since my radar is high for this type of scam, I read the entire small print disclaimers. And here it was: plus $34.99 processing fee when you submit your return. There is no processing fee if you pay full price for the product. I’ve used TurboTax for years.

So the total the consumer is paying is $52.48, not $17.49. Does that sound like 50% off to you? Other disclaimer, does not include Home and Business version (which of course, is what I use, so I wouldn’t qualify anyway.) So much for 50% OFF TODAY!

The NYT article says that anytime you see For You Only! Or For Today Only! .. RUN the other way. It is true. If you type into your search engine the specific name and model of a coffee maker you wish to purchase, Google will come up with a bar at the right side of the screen showing you all the discounted prices. Once in a while there will be one lower price, but quite often – all the same! You couldn’t pay Retail Price if you wanted to. Check it out!