Most businesses are run by honest, hardworking people.  Unfortunately, some businesses engage in improper behavior to gain money or advantage.  Many states and the federal government have laws designed to protect consumers from being cheated.

Unscrupulous business engage in fraud, deception, taking unfair advantage of consumers, and even outright lawbreaking.  Those businesses expect to get away with it for the most part, and often do when consumers do not stand up for their rights.

Unfair business violations vary from state to state, but here are a few kinds of practices that may be considered violations:

• Promising one thing, but delivering something else, or failing to deliver at all.
• Giving an unreasonably low estimate, to get a job, then charging “extras” to increase the price.
• Misrepresenting something important about a product or service, such as its quality, its price, its nature, its condition, whether it is new or used, etc.
• False or misleading advertising.
• Misrepresenting the terms of a contract or agreement.
• Fake testimonials or endorsements.
• “Bait and switch” tactics, advertising something that is not actually available, in order to get the consumer in the door and push a more expensive item.
• Unconditional guarantees, or money-back guarantees, where the consumer is not offered the choice of a full refund or product replacement.  “Take it or leave it” and “you don’t have a choice” are not guarantees.
• Claiming that something is on sale when it usually sells for that price.
• Misrepresenting what competitors charge.
• Putting multiple price stickers on goods, so they appear to be marked down when they have not actually been marked down.
• Advertising one price but charging another.
• Holding a consumer’s property “hostage” until the consumer complies with changed terms.

There are laws to protect consumers.  However, the effectiveness of these laws depends upon consumers asserting their rights, often through class actions.  Class actions, by their “banding together” nature, are often essential for protecting consumers from egregious business practices and deterring corporations from taking advantage of consumers.

If you believe you may be a victim of unfair business practices, you should consult with an attorney of your choosing to determine your rights and possible remedies.

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