Protecting Consumers Rights Throughout California
The blue sweater you bought is giving you a rash. After reexamining the label, you notice it’s not 100 percent cotton as advertised in the Los Angeles Times. Instead, it is made of a mix of unpronounceable materials.
Or maybe you bought a bike for your daughter, and as she tries it three weeks later in your favorite park in Los Angeles, you both realize that the front tire is bent. Welcome to Consumer Protection Laws in Los Angeles, CA.
Customer protection legislation protects you against vendor malpractices and forms an important part of a reliable market economy.
While ‘let the buyer beware’ (caveat emptor) was once the motto of the free market, today these laws keep sellers honest and eliminate the threat of unpleasant surprises.
Los Angeles Consumer Rights Attorney
Where can you turn to if your rights as a consumer have been violated in Los Angeles, CA? Consider reaching out to the Law Office of Todd M Friedman, P.C for a free initial consultation. We offer you honest and aggressive representation driven at obtaining due compensation for the damages you have suffered.
What are Consumer Rights in Los Angeles, CA?
Consumer rights generally refer to a body of laws that pertains to the protection of interests of consumers against deficiencies and defects in goods or services. They seek to secure consumer rights against unfair or restrictive trade practices while making provisions for the establishment of authorities to settle consumer disputes.
These laws are enforced by government agencies (such as the Bureau for Consumer Protection, Federal Trade Commission) office of the Attorney General, and through individual and class action lawsuits filed by victims.
Types Of Consumer Rights Applicable in Los Angeles
In essence, consumer protection law is made up of a large patchwork of Federal and state laws governing the production and sale of all products and services.
Federal Consumer Protection Laws
Consumer protection Laws at the Federal level include:
1. The Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
This Act prohibits debt collectors from engaging in certain practices such as:
- Contacting you at your place of employment if your employer objects
- Contacting you at inconvenient or unusual times
- Intimidating or harassing you or even using misleading or false approaches
- Contacting third parties about the payment of your debt without due authorization from the court
- Communicating with you after notice that you are refusing to pay a debt
2. The Fair Credit Billing Act
This law gives you limited rights to withhold your payment if you dispute any goods or services that you purchased using your credit card. If you believe that the issuer has made an error or that the goods or services were defective, then you may temporarily suspend the payment pending determination of your case.
3. Federal Truth in Lending Act
Federal Truth-in-Lending Act is a federal law that requires disclosures by lenders and is meant to enhance your informed use of credit services by requiring disclosures. Every lender is under obligation to disclose to you information such as finance charges, number of payments, and any prepayment penalties.
4. Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act of 2003 (FACTA)
This law provides that if you report suspected fraud or identity theft to a consumer reporting agency, you must t be provided with a summary of your transactions at no charge. You can also request the agency to block reporting of information that you have otherwise identified as resulting from identity theft.
Los Angeles, CA Consumer Protection Law
Whereas consumer protection laws in California are regarded as the best and most powerful, you will need a good understanding of the legal framework of these laws for you to get relief from violations.
Consumer protection laws applicable in Los Angeles include the following:
1. California False Advertising (UCL)
California’s UCL and other federal laws like the Lanham Act shield you against false advertising. False advertising entails any promotion or advertising that falsely represents qualities, characteristics, nature, or origin of products or services.
The alleged quality and price of goods or services are usually the issues of contention in a false advertising claim. Common forms of false advertising in Los Angeles include:
- Hidden fees
- Bait and Switch
- False testimonials and fake online reviews
- Disparaging another person’s service or product
- Improper disclosures
- Advertising is based on poor or flawed research.
Consider contacting a professional Los Angeles consumer protection lawyer to help you evaluate your case or file a claim
2. Class Actions
Consumer class action in Los Angeles allows a group of consumers who have been wronged or harmed to file a collective lawsuit in a state or federal court. For instance, if a class of consumers all purchased a defective product from the same company, they may choose to enter into a consumer class action lawsuit against the company.
3. Lemon Law
The California Lemon law, also known as the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, protects you if your motor vehicle does not perform according to the provisions of an express warranty. Suppose a new or lightly used vehicle you bought in Los Angeles, CA, is malfunctioning, and the situation cannot be rectified even after a reasonable number of attempts. In that case, the vehicle is considered a lemon.
This lemon law covers a wide range of automobiles, including motorcycles, cars, trucks, boats, and recreational vehicles. Warranty claims can be quite complex, and it is wise that you talk to a savant Los Angeles consumer protection lawyer to help you navigate.
4. Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA)
The Telephone Consumer Protection Act protects you from unwanted calls from vendors, businesses, creditors, or their affiliates. Common TCPA violations include:
- Sending you text messages without your consent
- Using auto dialers
- Using robocalls to solicit
- Failure to keep a Do Not Call register
- Solicitations to residences using artificial pre-recorded calls
- Calling you after 9 p.m. or before 8p.m
If an individual or company has violated your TCPA rights in Los Angeles, you can file a claim and obtain compensation ranging between $500 to $1500 for each violation of the Act.
Do you believe or suspect that you have been a victim of unfair business practices, fraud, predatory pricing, unfair lending practices, or other consumer rights violations? Be the wise consumer and contact our Los Angeles consumer lawyers today. Let’s get you legal redress by judicious use of available legal tools.
FAQs on Consumer Protection Laws in Los Angeles, CA and Surrounding Areas
1. Can You Sue Telemarketers for Harassment?
Absolutely. If a telemarketer who has been calling you acted in violation of the law, you can file a lawsuit against them. Some specific violations by telemarketer include:
- Robocalling you
- Calling you at odd hours
- Failing to honor the National Do Not Call Register
2. Can You Sue Debt Collector?
Yes, buddy. You have rights, and you don’t have to let a debt collector’s lack of common decency make your life miserable. You can successfully sue a debtor collector who contravenes the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) or the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA).
Some of the contraventions include:
- Calling you at work
- Late-night phone calls
- Branding you a criminal
- Harassing family members
- Making anonymous calls
- Threatening you in any way
3. How Can I Fix an Error on My Credit Report?
The first step to fixing a credit card report error is obtaining your credit report copy. The Fair Report Credit Reporting allows one free copy of your credit report annually. After you have your copy of the credit report, carefully review and identify all potential problems.
If you find mistakes, you have the right to request that the errors be rectified. Once you provide all the required proof but a creditor declines to correct an issue, you can file a claim and win compensation.
4. What is an FRCA (Fair Credit Reporting Act) Violation?
The Fair Credit Reporting Act is legislation enacted to ensure that consumers in America get fair and accurate credit reports to protect their credit scores. Some possible violations of this law include:
- Incorrect charge-off information
- Inaccurate totals
- Incorrect dates
- Incorrect loan completion information
- Incorrect creditors
Consumer Rights Attorney in Los Angeles, Ventura, San Bernardino, and Surrounding Areas
The Law Offices of Todd M. Friedman, P.C is a leading law firm in Southern California with office locations throughout the nation. We are a team of aggressive, honest, and expert attorneys who leverage judicious use of legal tools to make sure you win.
The Hallmark of our Professionalism and Epitome of Success is the $500 Million won for Employees, Consumers, and Individuals. In addition, The Better Business Bureau has accorded us an A+ rating based on our excellence and expertise in legal practice and founder, attorney Todd Friedman, has been named the Super Lawyer each year since 2016. For more information on Consumer rights in Los Angeles, feel free to Contact Us today, and we will be more than willing to assist.
