04:47 PM EDT, 05/22/2024 (MT Newswires) -- Intuit (INTU) and other tax-preparation companies should be investigated for sharing "legally protected and sensitive taxpayer information," according to a letter sent Tuesday by lawmakers to the heads of several government agencies.

The firm shares sensitive data despite warnings from the Federal Trade Commission said the letter, sent by Sens. Elizabeth Warren, Ron Wyden, Richard Blumenthal and Sheldon Whitehouse, and Rep. Katie Porter. The request was addressed to Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Daniel Werfel, FTC Commission Chair Lina Khan, acting Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration Heather Hill, and Attorney General Merrick Garland.

"Senator Warren's office also investigated TurboTax's monetization of taxpayers and found that "Intuit continues to try to trick and trap TurboTax users into paying junk fees to file even very simple tax returns" and that the software asked to track and use taxpayer data a total of 10 times during filing," the letter said.

Similar investigations by lawmakers last year found H&R Block (HRB), TaxAct, and TaxSlayer had illegally shared customer information, Warren said.

Intuit said in a statement emailed to MT Newswires that it is compliant with IRS Code Section 7216 which imposes criminal penalties on preparers for knowingly making disclosures or using information provided for the purpose of tax-return preparation.

"Intuit does not share tax return information with social media platforms for marketing or any other purpose," the firm said. "Only with express consent and at the direction of a customer may Intuit share customer information with a third party in order for the customer to receive a benefit."

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