California False Advertising & Unfair Business Practices Lawyers

What Is Considered False Advertising?

False advertising includes false, deceptive, or misleading statements made about a product or service that does not have the qualities or benefits as advertised. Claims for false advertising are based on what a reasonable consumer would consider to be false. In other words, whether members of the public are likely to be deceived by the claims.

Examples of false advertising claims include representing that a product is all-natural or organic when it is not, or falsely claiming that a product is safe for use for a certain group or population. If you purchased a product or service based on false or misleading statements about that product or service, then please speak to one of our talented and knowledgeable lawyers at Cohelan Khoury & Singer to determine if you have a claim for false advertising.

What Laws Prohibit Unfair Business Practices?

Businesses and consumers are protected from unfair business practices by the Unfair Competition Law (UCL). The UCL forbids every “fraudulent, unlawful, or unfair” business practice, including deceptive, unfair, misleading, and untrue advertising. The UCL covers individuals, corporations, companies, partnerships, firms, associations, organizations, and sole-proprietors.

The Dodd–Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act authorized the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The CFPB’s stated mission is to “make markets for consumer financial products and services work for Americans — whether they are applying for a mortgage, choosing among credit cards, or using any number of other consumer financial products.”

There are a number of business practices that are considered unfair, deceptive, or abusive under the new law and existing law. Some examples include:

  • Predatory lending
  • Deceptive trade practices
  • Harassment related to attempts to collect a debt
  • Misleading and deceptive marketing related to credit card add-on products such as protection plans and credit monitoring
  • Charging illegal upfront fees charged for mortgage or other debt-relief services that were not provided
  • Banks improperly manipulating the order of transactions to maximize overdraft fees
  • Conspiring to fix market prices by discussing prices with competitors

If you have been subjected to a business practice that you believe is unfair, deceptive, or abusive, then please contact our lawyers to discuss your rights. Call our number to request a free case consultation today.