Consumer Fraud Litigation
Protecting consumer’s rights in South Carolina
Protecting customers from unfair or fraudulent business practices is not a simple process, but it is an important one. In fact, it is so important that there are federal laws put in place, state statutes enacted, as well as private volunteer groups working to overcome an all-too-common occurrence.
Federal laws
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has developed laws such as the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act and the Consumer Credit Protection Act, which apply to all states.
The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act was enacted in 1975 and is meant to protect buyers from deceptive warranty practices.
The Consumer Credit Protection Act was developed in 1968, in order to ensure a complete disclosure of all terms when he or she goes to obtain credit. This information can help consumers to properly compare all offers.
State laws
State laws are commonly associated with the state’s attorney general’s office. They offer the residents and businesses of the state protection against fraudulent practices by individuals or industries. Most of these laws have standards that must be met to prove fraud.
The basic mandates to wage a case of consumer fraud include:
- A person you did business with made an untrue statement about a material fact (a fact that was pivotal in your business deal)
- The person knew or believed that his or her statement was false when he or she made it
- You were injured (physically, financially, etc.) by your dependence on the statement
South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs
The Department of Consumer Affairs offers a wide variety of resources to help prevent and determine cases of consumer fraud. Some of these include:
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Contact Us
Jekel-Doolittle, LLC, is available to answer your questions and concerns about consumer fraud. Call us today at (843)654-7700 or email us at your convenience.
