What is considered deceptive practice under consumer fraud law?

Deceptive practice under consumer fraud law can take many forms. In Washington, the state legislature has passed a number of laws that prohibit certain types of deceptive behavior. Generally, deceptive practice is defined as any act taken by a business that misleads a consumer in order to gain an unfair advantage, or to deceive a consumer into believing that a service or product is of a higher quality than it actually is. Examples of deceptive practices include false advertising, bait and switch tactics, and other forms of misrepresentation. False advertising occurs when a business makes false or misleading statements about its goods or services. Bait and switch tactics involve offering a customer a product or service at a low price, but then switching it for a different, more expensive product or service. In addition, businesses should avoid leading customers to believe that a service or product is of a higher quality or value than it actually is. For example, a business should not advertise a product as being on sale for a fraction of its original price if the sale price is actually higher than the regular price. Washington state also has laws that make it illegal for businesses to engage in pyramid schemes and engage in fraudulent billing practices. For example, it is illegal to charge a customer for goods or services they did not order, or to bill a customer for more than the goods or services they received. In short, consumer fraud law in Washington prohibits any acts or practices that are intended to deceive consumers or mislead them into believing that they are receiving goods or services of a higher quality or value than they actually are.

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What is considered deceptive practice under consumer fraud law?

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