Ocala Consumer Protection Lawyer
Consumers are protected under various federal and state laws and agencies, including the Department of Legal Affairs, Florida Office of the Attorney General, and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. As a consumer, if you have been wronged by a company you have rights and the ability to take legal action against the responsible party. We encourage you to speak to an Ocala consumer protection lawyer at the Pendas Law Firm to learn more about your rights and opportunities for financial compensation. Our attorneys have the experience and resources to go after the largest wrongdoing companies at both the state and federal level.
Florida Consumer Protection Laws at the State Level
Consumer protection laws are created to ensure accurate product and sales information, fair trade, and to give consumers rights in the marketplace. They are also designed to crack down on fraud that would give a company an unfair advantage on its competitors. A few examples of Florida state consumer protection laws include the following:
- Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (FDUTPA)—This important act prohibits false advertising, bait and switch, and other deceptive trade practices;
- Florida Identity Theft Laws—A number of state laws prohibit the theft of credit card or personal information, making credit card and identity theft a criminal act;
- Florida Lemon Laws—New vehicles are required to meet advertised standards. Cars that do not meet standards due to defects must be refunded or replaced;
- Florida Antitrust Laws—Antitrust laws are created to encourage competition;
- Florida Homestead Laws—Elders and certain people with disabilities who are facing foreclosure from their homes or eviction from rentals may be eligible to remain in their homes under Florida’s Homestead Laws.
- Florida Interest Rate Laws—To protect consumers from unlawful, predatory interest rates, various state interest rate laws have been created.
Federal Consumer Protection Laws and the Current Lack of Protection for Consumers’ Personal Information
- Privacy Policies;
- Truth in Lending Act:
- Consumer Leasing Act; and
- Fair Credit Reporting Laws.
There are large gaps in both state and federal laws, revealing a need for stronger consumer protection laws and regulations. For example, the United States is one of the only major developed nations without a federal consumer privacy law, though congress is currently working on creating one, according to the New York Times. Such a law cannot come soon enough, evidenced by large scale scandals such as the Facebook-Cambridge data scandal; user’s private information was used illegally to benefit the political motivations of Ted Cruz and Donald Trump in 2015, according to Wired.
Contact the Experienced Ocala Consumer Protection Lawyers at The Pendas Law Firm for Aggressive Defense of Your Rights
Consumers are taken advantage of on a regular basis, and many unfortunately remain unaware that their rights have been violated. If you believe that a company has illegally violated your rights as a consumer, you have legal options. By contacting the Ocala consumer protection attorneys at The Pendas Law Firm, you can recover the financial damages caused to you. Call our Ocala law offices today at 1-844-200-0000 to schedule a free consultation.
