Taking action against a business that engages in unfair practices can be intimidating and complex. The consumer protection attorneys at Markoff Leinberger have decades of experience and can help you fight back against unfair business practices.
What are Unfair Business Practices?
Unfair business practices are actions a business takes to deceive and defraud consumers. These actions may occur in advertising, at the point of sale, as part of debt collection attempts, and in regard to your credit. Some examples include:
- Deceptive Advertising – When a business makes misleading statements about a product or service in an attempt to boost sales, they are engaging in false advertising. False advertising also applies to misleading claims on product labels.
- Undisclosed and unauthorized charges – If you have ever purchased a service at one price only to find that your monthly bill is higher than you expected, you may have been a victim of this common and costly unfair business practice. Telephone and TV services commonly employ this tactic, stacking your bill with undisclosed fees. Mortgages and vehicle purchases are other occasions in which hidden fees tend to show up.
- Debt collection violations – Third party debt collection agencies have historically used harassment and intimidation to collect debts. However, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) holds debt collectors to certain standards to protect consumers from deceptive and harassing practices. You may be able to sue the violator directly or through a class action lawsuit.
- Credit reporting violations – The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) regulates credit bureaus and those who report to the credit bureaus. If a reporting agency tampers with your credit report, you could suffer harm, such as being denied a job or a loan. Whether a credit reporting violation is intentional or occurs from negligence, you may be entitled to damages. Attorneys’ fees, actual damages, and punitive damages could be awarded.
Fight Back against Unfair Business Practices
One of our consumer rights attorneys can advise you on the best way to recover damages and hold a business accountable for unfair practices. We develop a unique strategy for each case based on the type of unfair business practice and the circumstances surrounding the deception or fraud.
In many cases of unfair business practices, victims think their losses are too insignificant to pursue legal action. However, you are likely not the only victim of the fraudulent behavior, and action is necessary to stop the unfair practice from impacting additional consumers. When there are many victims of an unfair business practice, class action litigation may be the most effective way to recover damages and stop the unfair business practice.
Call Us for a Free Case Evaluation
Consumer rights attorneys Paul Markoff and Karl Leinberger have been helping clients fight unfair business practices for over 20 years. The Markoff Leinberger team is dedicated to standing up for our clients’ rights and protecting consumers from deceptive business tactics.
For a free consultation, call us at 312-726-4162. We serve clients in the Chicago area and across the U.S.
