Consumer fraud is an increasingly common ‘injury’ inflicted upon thousands of unsuspecting victims throughout Los Angeles. Consumer fraud is a broad term that can include any intentionally deceptive act, statement, or practice that harms you, the consumer. If you are the victim of consumer fraud, know that you can pursue criminal and civil penalties against the person who has de-frauded you. An experienced Los Angeles consumer fraud lawyer can discuss what does and does constitute fraud in the eyes of the law in greater detail.
Many people in Los Angeles are victims of consumer fraud and don’t even know it. For example, when you buy something (merchandise or services) that is different from what is advertised, you might be the victim of consumer fraud. Take comfort in knowing that skilled consumer fraud lawyers and California law is on your side. In fact, in order to counter the huge fraud problem, the California legislature passed the Unlawful Business Practices Act.
Under the UBPA, an unfair business practice consists of advertising or performing any other action that is:
- unlawful
- unfair
- fraudulent
- deceptive
- untrue or misleading
As you may have experienced first hand, many Los Angeles companies engage in deliberate unfair, unlawful, or fraudulent practices in order to make a profit. If this is happened to you, work with a consumer law attorney who understands that victims of consumer fraud have the right to recover damages whenever an unfair business practice has occurred.
The types of damages a consumer can sue for include the following:
- the amount of money the consumer paid for the goods or services that were fraudulently marketed,
- any other losses or costs the consumer incurred because of the fraudulent or deceptive advertising, and
- attorney fees and court costs
If you believe that you or a loved one has been the victim of consumer fraud in Los Angeles, reach out to the aggressive trial lawyers at BIK Law today.