Protect Yourself From Big Business with this Powerful Act
Consumer protection is designed to ensure the rights of consumers are being met. The laws under the Consumer Protection Act are designed to prevent businesses that engage in fraud or unfair practices from gaining an advantage over competitors. The reason for this law is to protect the rights of consumers from companies who “price fix” and provide faulty products for unfair compensation. Examples of violations include incompetent services and price discrimination based on race, socioeconomic status, or sex.
So what exactly does this act entail and what does it mean to you? Read on to find out:
Know Your Rights
If you’re a consumer and you feel that your rights have been violated in regards to consumer protection laws, you need to know your rights. You’re able to file a claim against the business or organization in small claims court and can sue for damages. In addition, you’re able to report the company or organization exhibiting discrimination or falsifing information to the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and they will investigate the company further.
Working with the BBB can help to push a company in the right direction and eventually could lead to a check in the mail for damages. Many people who have been wrongly treated by companies, particularly in customer service or mislabeling (misleading branding information or false advertising), are able to collect money for damages courtesy of the BBB if enough cases are filled against the company or organization.
You Have the Right to Know
You have the right to know where your purchases are coming from. When you buy a product from the supermarket, department store, or specialty store you should see where the product was manufactured. Companies must disclose product origination information, nutrition facts, and trademarks when applicable. Misleading information about product raw materials or contents is prohibited under the Consumer Protection Act. Particularly with food, government agencies may require businesses to disclose detailed information about products for health and safety purposes.
Make sure that you know what you’re really consuming.
You Have the Right to Sue for Defectiveness
Some products have liabilities associated with them. For example, over a decade ago a woman sued McDonald’s for damages when her coffee spilled all over her and the container did not have disclosures labeled on it. There was no “Caution, Hot Contents” label on the container. If you receive a faulty product that causes you harm, your ability to sue becomes much greater with substantial evidence in product engineering flaws.
Discrimination
No firm, company, or organization may authorize discrimination on you based on socioeconomic factors such as income levels and appearance – as well as reasons associated with religion, race, or sex. If you feel that you’ve been treated with disrespect on the basis of these factors, please investigate and create the proper information needed for a case against the company or organization. Under the Consumer Protection Act, you have rights against discrimination in the purchasing experience.
Pricing Fluctuations
If you’re purchasing a commodity, price fluctuations are a part of the game that everyone has to pay for. Whether it’s gas, energy, or rare metals, the market is determined by the global demand and the price designated by supply. Consumers have a right to the same price levels as others in relative time frames.
For example, if your friend walks into a car dealership and buys a car worth $20,000.00 and then five minutes later you walk in with an appearance of more wealth, attempting to buy the same car may prove pricing fluctuation discrimination. If the dealer says that the value is $30,000.00, you’re being involved with a con and can report the sales representative, as well as the company, to the BBB.
Conclusion
Be sure to know your rights as a consumer. The Consumer Protection Act is in place for a reason. If you feel your rights have been violated, don't hesitate to contact a lawyer in order to recieve representation for the wrong doings against you.
This article was written by Matthew Hall. Matthew spends his free time playing ultimate frisbee, writing short stories, and with his four-legged friend, Trevor. When its time to get down to business though, he has his dream job as a professional writer for www.Heil-Law.com. To read more of his work, visit his Google+