What is the difference between civil fraud and deceptive trade practices?

Civil fraud and deceptive trade practices are two separate types of legal action for different types of wrongs. Civil fraud is a type of fraud where a person makes false or misleading representations to get another person to transfer money, property, or valuable items to them. The false representations must have been relied upon by the other person in order for civil fraud to be successful. In other words, the victim must have reasonably acted on the deceitful representation in order for a fraud to be considered. Deceptive trade practices are false or misleading advertising and business practices, such as misrepresenting the quality, performance, or price of a product or service in order to obtain an unfair advantage in the marketplace. Unlike civil fraud, deceptive trade practices do not require that someone actually believe or act upon the falsehoods in order to be liable. Rather, deceptive practices are considered to be wrongs that injure an entire group of people (such as consumers), because it harms their ability to make informed decisions when purchasing goods or services. Overall, civil fraud involves making false representations that someone relies on and acts upon, while deceptive trade practices involve making false or misleading statements related to a product or service that harms an entire group of people. Both types of wrongs can be very costly for victims and can be prosecuted under civil or criminal law in Washington.

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