More than a third of the 1,200 tax preparers visited by city inspectors during a recent sweep duped their clients and violated consumer protection laws, officials reported yesterday.

“One in three is lousy odds,” declared Consumer Affairs Commissioner Jonathan Mintz, who released the numbers at a press conference in The Bronx with Mayor Bloomberg.

New Yorkers earning $57,000 or less can file their taxes for free at http://www.nyc.gov.

Help is also available for those with children and who earn less than $50,000, or individuals earning less than $18,000, by calling 311.