Violations of Illinois Deceptive Trade Practices Statutes

The Consumer Federation of America (CFA), the National Association of Consumer Agency Administrators (NACAA), and the North American Consumer Protection Investigators (NACPI) collectively looked at more than a half million complaints in 18 different states, in a 2010 complaint survey conducted by them. Auto-related complaints were quoted as the top issue by consumers and consumer protection agencies for the second year in a row, in this 2010 complaint survey conducted by these three government agencies. These auto-related complaints include misrepresentations in advertising or sales of new and used cars, lemon buy backs and used cars with faulty repairs. These auto-related complaints also include misrepresentations regarding the leasing and towing disputes of the used cars.

An Illinois consumer who has been a victim of auto-related deceptive or unfair trade practice should consult Illinois lemon law atto
eys to get the best course against the deceptive trade practices in Illinois. The Illinois state legislature has adopted the Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act which prohibits 26 specific practices, plus other unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices. The Illinois Deceptive Trade Practices Statutes prohibit practices which include concealment or omission by a business of any material fact with intent to cause losses to an Illinois consumer. The transaction must be conducted in trade or commerce for the statute to apply.

Under the Illinois Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act, the following actions constitute deceptive trade practices which misrepresent the:

Source, sponsorship, approval, affiliation, association, or certification of goods or services
Sponsorship, approval, characteristics, ingredients, uses, benefits, qualities or Geographic origin of goods or services
Status of goods or services as original or new when they are deteriorated, altered, reconditioned, reclaimed, or usedr
Standard, quality, or grade, style or model of goods or services
Goods and services of others and disparaging their businessr
Advertised goods or services

And the other unfair trade practices prohibited by the FTC:

Unfair provisions in contracts of adhesion
Coercive or high-pressure tactics in sales and collection efforts
Unconscionable, illegal, outrageous and offensive conduct
Exploiting the bargaining power and emergency situations of vulnerable groups

Remedies for Violations of Illinois Deceptive Trade Practices Statutes

If an Illinois used car consumer becomes a victim of a deceptive trade practice, the Illinois Deceptive Trade Practices Statutes are highly instrumental in getting him awarded for damages. Many states in the US provide minimum statutory damages to a deceptive trade practice victim. Many states in the US permit courts to award thrice the actual damages and impose punitive damages including the Illinois used car consumer's atto
ey fee, if need be.