Consumer Protection

Consumer law is a broad area that covers most daily transactions. It protects people from unfair or deceptive sales practices, predatory lending, shoddy products, and unfair debt collection techniques. Consumer contracts require certain disclosures, and often provide a “cooling-off” period during which a consumer may back out of a contract. In some cases, consumers who have been harmed by a sales or lending practice can recover two or three times what they actually lost financially if they prove in court that the transaction was unfair. Because hundreds or thousands of other consumers are often affected by the same dishonest conduct, they may join a consumer class action. They may even recover attorneys’ fees.

Most consumer law violations involve sales. False advertising, misleading or unnecessary warranties, and high-pressure sales tactics can all constitute consumer law violations. So can selling products when the seller knows that the buyer cannot pay, or deliberately selling services to people who are unable to benefit from them. “Lemon laws” protect consumers who purchase defective vehicles, and state regulations protect car owners from  unauthorized repair charges by requiring mechanics to give estimates prior to performing maintenance work. Contracts for health spas, dance studios, martial arts training, dating services, and weight reduction centers are all subject to consumer protection laws.

Lending is also subject to consumer protection. Lending institutions must clearly disclose all terms to borrowers. In the event a borrower is late on payments, or defaults on a loan, the borrower has some protection from harassing telephone calls and other unfair debt collection practices. Ohio consumer law has even expanded to cover real estate laws, and predatory lending. This marks a recent change in Ohio’s approach to consumer protection.

If you have purchased products that do not perform as advertised, or have been billed for services you did not authorize, or have been surprised by unexpected terms in a loan or a contract, please call Robert E. Sweeney Co., LPA for a free consultation. Everyone is a consumer: even if the amount of money you lost is small, other people have probably suffered the same fraud. We can help you find strength in numbers.