False Advertising Lawyers in Agoura Hills & Westlake Village

Protecting California Consumers from Deception & Misinformation Nationwide

Under California false advertising laws, companies are prohibited from using deceptive advertising in connection with the sale or dissemination of goods. Companies are allowed to use “puffery” to make somewhat inflated claims about their products. However, they are prohibited from using language that is designed to confuse or mislead consumers.

A company that engages in false or misleading advertising to sell products is in violation of California law. Consumers duped by false advertising may be able to recover monetary damages via filing a false advertising class action lawsuit. They may also force the company to discontinue its deceptive practices.

If you need to hold a company accountable, reach out to ourfalse advertising attorneys in Agoura Hills and Westlake Village. At Bradley/Grombacher, we serve clients nationwide and can help you pursue fair and just compensation if you were illegally deceived.

Contact our office online or call (888) 418-7094 to arrange a free initial consultation. Our attorneys can inform you of legal options that may be available to you.

Deceptive Advertising Definition & Examples

Deceptive advertising refers to a company’s use of false, misleading or confusing statements when promoting a product or service. These advertising practices false claims violate consumer protection laws, which prohibit companies from engaging in unfair business practices to outsell competitors.

Deceptive Advertising

Deceptive advertising can include fake sales, false environmental claims, quality deceptions, and bait and switch tactics. Fake sales are a form of deceptive pricing, where a business advertises a “sale” that does not actually provide a discount.

For example, a store may artificially inflate the original price listed on a price tag. This is done with the intention of giving consumers the impression they are receiving a discount. Other stores continuously list certain products at a discounted price, but never offer the item at the so-called “original” price. This means that the “sale” price is the true price of the item.

Misleading Claims

Some companies attempt to take advantage of consumers’ growing passion for environmental issues. To this end, they will make misleading claims about the eco-friendliness of their products. If a company uses terms like “biodegradable,” “compostable,” or “recycled”, they must be able to back up these claims with scientific evidence.

Unsubstantiated Claims

Advertisers are also prohibited from making unsubstantiated statements or claims about the quality or the origin of a product. Some companies seek to capitalize on consumers’ desire for American-made products. These companies will add a “Made in the USA” label when the products are actually made in a foreign country.

Bait & Switch

In a bait-and-switch scenario, an advertiser will offer an item at a low price in order to entice customers. However, the advertise does not intend to sell the item at the listed price, or at all. According to the Federal Trade Commission, this type of advertising is illegal if “the first contact or interview is secured by deception.”

Failure to Disclose

What a company does not say about their product can be just as deceptive as what they do say. Under the Lanham Act, a statement that is "untrue as a result of the failure to disclose a material fact" is considered false advertising. For example, drug company leaving out several key side effectives of a medication is considered a failure to disclose.