Consumer laws & false advertising

We are Consumer Protection Law Experts

The best consumer protection lawyers have a lot of ground to cover, because this legal specialty includes such a wide range of potential violations of the law.

There are many government agencies and other organizations designed to protect US consumers. On a nationwide level, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is responsible for enforcing regulations that govern advertising and general business practices. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has specific regulations for the labeling of pharmaceutical and nutritional products. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ensures that financial companies like banks treat consumers fairly.

Victims don’t have to wait for a government agency to act in order to enforce their rights under consumer protection laws. In addition to these agencies, if you’ve been hurt by a corporation’s failure to comply with consumer laws, you may bring a claim against them directly. You may be able to ask for financial compensation or a court injunction to stops certain behaviors.

What IS False Advertising?

Whenever consumers see or hear an advertisement in the US, federal law says that ad must be truthful, not misleading, and be backed by scientific evidence when appropriate. Most states, including California, also have laws against false advertising, which provide remedies to consumers and competitors who’ve been victimized.

These standards apply no matter where an ad is placed or how it’s delivered to consumers – online, print, radio or television. Deceptive or false advertising refers to the seller’s use of confusing, misleading or blatantly untruthful statements when promoting a product or service.

Comparative advertising is a marketing strategy where the company’s product or service is either shown as “on sale” compared to a “regular” price or being better than a direct competitor. This is perfectly fine, assuming the companies can back up their claims! Being able to both rely on accurate pricing and judge different consumer goods side-by-side is key to making smart purchasing decisions.

But problems arise when they can’t prove their statements of better quality, prevailing market value, higher popularity, etc. with facts, or if they make false statements to unfairly damage their competition.

Other Examples of False Advertising or Consumer Protection Law:

• Misleading labels (Truth-In-Labeling laws)
• Deceptive pricing
• Hidden fees and surcharges
• Bait & Switch
• Deceptive financing terms
• Auto-renewal subscription plans

Have You Been the Victim of False Advertising?

Righetti • Glugoski, P.C., is an award-winning California-based law firm who specialize in protecting the rights of consumers who have been harmed by corporate misconduct. If merchants made misrepresentations to induce you into purchasing an item, used deceptive pricing financing techniques, or provided you with an incomplete or subpar product, you can hold them liable for their wrongful acts

If you’ve been the victim of false or deceptive advertising, or simply have a question about consumer protection law based on your own customer experiences, contact us today. There’s no charge to speak with one of our attorneys.