What is the difference between civil fraud and libel?

The difference between civil fraud and libel is that civil fraud typically involves intentional misrepresentation of facts in order to gain an unfair advantage. Libel, on the other hand, typically involves the making of false statements, either spoken or written, which create a negatively false impression of someone with the intention of causing harm, without any benefit to the accused. In California, civil fraud is a civil wrong that is actionable in a court of law and typically involves one party intentionally deceiving the other by making false statements or taking other actions in order to gain financially or otherwise. Depending on the details of the deception, it can be considered a misdemeanor or a felony, and the penalties for such misconduct can range from jail time to a fine up to three times the compensation or other benefit gained. Libel is a form of defamation that refers to false statements which damage the reputation of another individual or group. If a false statement is made about another person with malicious intent, that person could be held liable for libel. It is not necessary for the accused to have benefited financially or otherwise from the false statement. In summary, the difference between civil fraud and libel is that civil fraud involves a party intentionally deceiving another to benefit themselves in some way, whereas libel involves making false statements with malicious intent, without the accused gaining any benefit.

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What is the difference between civil fraud and libel?

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