Settlements and verdicts for consumer fraud protection cases may include:

• A refund of the money you were fraudulently charged
• Compensation for the time spent in discovering, investigating, and dealing with this issue
• Related remedies, like a year of free identity theft protection
• New reforms and regulations that help protect you and other consumers going forward
• A public admission from the company that helps spread awareness of the fraud, and serves as vindication for you and others who were victimized

Consumer fraud cases impact large numbers of people across the country. By pursuing a lawsuit for yourself, you can potentially help each and every one of them.

When a company makes misleading claims about the effectiveness of a product, a consumer fraud lawsuit can be filed. When a company fails to protect an individual’s private information, and their security system is breached, a lawsuit can also be filed.

Litigation can also follow invasion of privacy violations, product liability matters, and important financial decisions that are made under false pretenses. The Lyon Firm handles cases in all of the following practice areas:

• Billing Fraud: Automatic billing schemes, frauds involving “free trials,” and other recurring charges have a high potential for widespread fraud and abuse. This includes auto payments for health insurance, cable and phone services, cell phone apps, dating sites, gaming portals, and other online services.
• Data Misuse: Data misuse is an area of law that grows broader every day with the expansion of the digital marketplace. Web-based companies collect and store your personal data, and often unlawfully sell that data or use it in illegal targeted ads. 
• Telephone Consumer Protection Violations: Telemarketing lawsuits often involve insurance companies, banks, hotels, debt collection agencies, and various other companies. These involve violating the rules of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), which were put in place to protect the consumer from telephone marketing harassment. When companies do not respect a person’s privacy, they may be held liable in multi-million dollar lawsuits.
• Mortgage Fraud: Banks that engage in unlawful and unethical mortgage practices can be sued, and rightful compensation may be recovered by plaintiffs. Financial institutions regularly violate fair debt collection practices and engage in mortgage fraud and other financial fraud.
• Deceptive Marketing: These lawsuits are filed when companies deceive consumers by mislabeling products or advertising products as something they are not. For example, the dietary supplement industry is full of fraudulent claims that cannot be backed by nutritional evidence. Cannabis and CBD lawsuits are a growing area of litigation as companies promote expansive health benefits without adequate evidence.

This is by no means a comprehensive list. Stem cell fraud, insurance overcharging, and other fair debt collection violations are all suitable causes for legal action.

Implied warranty coverage can last as long as four years depending on state-to-state laws. However, your right to file a lawsuit for consumer fraud has a deadline as well. In Ohio, for example, there is a four-year time limit to bring fraud cases, but only a one-year window for personal injuries resulting from fraud.

Warranties are guarantees offered by companies and business proprietors. They can be written, spoken, or implied, and are essentially contracts that are under obligation to be honored. Those guarantees may include a right to repair, replace, or return an item if it is defective, or a refund for services that were unsatisfactory.

That being said, warranties often come with fine print, loopholes, and expiration dates. If you discover you have been defrauded or injured due to deceptive marketing, contact a consumer fraud lawyer at The Lyon Firm today who can help you review your rights under the warranty.

According to the National Consumer Federation (NCF), consumers have eight basic rights under the law:

1. Basic needs: You have the right to access essential services and products such as food, shelter, clothing, healthcare, water, public utilities, and sanitation.
2. Safety: You have the right to protection from hazardous products or processes (like poison in products or toxic byproducts of manufacturing).
3. Information: Similar to the “informed consent” mandated for healthcare procedures, you have the right to make an informed decision about what you buy, use, or consume.
4. Choice: To prevent inescapable monopolies, you have the right to select from a range of products and services at competitive prices with quality assurances.
5. Representation: This is essentially your right to be heard by your representatives who craft the governing policies over the production of goods and performance of services.
6. Redress: Should your rights be violated, you also have access to judicial redress (aka remedy, repair, or correction)—this includes your ability to sue for compensation regarding shoddy products, unsatisfactory service, or fraudulent misrepresentation. 
7. Consumer education: You have the right to acquire any knowledge or skills needed to make an informed decision regarding goods and services, as well as the information needed to act on your rights via the law.
8. Healthy environments: Lastly, you have the right to a non-threatening environment in which to live, work, and prosper.

These rights may seem bigger than the topic of consumer protection, but since our basic human needs are all monetized—food, housing, healthcare, and access to legal remedies—consumer protections are truly life-and-death matters. 

The Lyon Firm has represented consumers from all fifty states in multi-district product liability litigations. We have won cases against some of the largest companies in the world. We are fully prepared to see your case through to the end, and seek justice for as many individuals as possible.