Consumer Protection Claims in California in CA… | CGMIMM
Business Law · CA
Consumer Protection Claims in California
California consumer protection laws — state UDAP statutes + federal FTC Act + Magnuson-Moss + similar — provide treble damages + attorney's fees for deceptive business practices.
Published May 9, 2026
## Consumer protection claims in California
**Consumer protection laws** protect consumers from unfair + deceptive business practices. California consumers have multiple avenues — state UDAP (Unfair Deceptive Acts + Practices) statutes, federal FTC Act, Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, and various specific protections.
## ${s.name} UDAP statute
**Every state has UDAP:**
- Specific to ${s.name}
- Specific procedures
- Specific to circumstances
- Specific to ${s.name} attorney general
**Common provisions:**
- Unfair acts prohibited
- Deceptive acts prohibited
- Specific to consumer transactions
- Specific to ${s.name}
**Remedies typically include:**
- Actual damages
- Treble damages (sometimes)
- Attorney's fees
- Specific procedures
- Specific to ${s.name}
## Examples by state
**Strong UDAP states:**
- California (CA UCL § 17200)
- Massachusetts (Ch. 93A)
- Florida (FDUTPA)
- New York (GBL § 349)
- Illinois
- Specific to state
**Notable features:**
**California UCL:**
- Specific procedures
- Class actions common
- Specific to circumstances
- Strong consumer protection
**Massachusetts 93A:**
- Multiple damages possible
- Specific procedures
- 30-day demand letter
- Specific to circumstances
**Florida FDUTPA:**
- Attorney's fees recoverable
- Specific procedures
- Specific to circumstances
- Strong protection
**${s.name} specific:**
- Specific to ${s.name}
- Specific procedures
- Specific to circumstances
- Specific protections
## What's prohibited
**Common prohibited practices:**
**False advertising:**
- Misleading claims
- Specific to product / service
- Specific procedures
- Specific to circumstances
**Bait + switch:**
- Advertised product unavailable
- Higher-priced alternative offered
- Specific procedures
- Specific to circumstances
**Hidden fees:**
- Not disclosed up front
- Specific procedures
- Specific to ${s.name}
- Specific to circumstances
**Deceptive pricing:**
- False reference prices
- Specific to circumstances
- Specific procedures
- Specific to ${s.name}
**Unfair contract terms:**
- Unconscionable provisions
- Specific procedures
- Specific to ${s.name}
- Specific to circumstances
**Specific industries:**
- Auto sales
- Specific procedures
- Specific to ${s.name}
- Specific to circumstances
**Specific issues:**
- Lemon law violations
- Specific to ${s.name}
- Specific procedures
- Specific protections
## Federal protections
**FTC Act (Section 5):**
- Federal standard
- FTC enforcement
- Specific procedures
- Limited private right of action
**Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act:**
- Consumer warranty law
- Specific procedures
- Specific to circumstances
- Federal + state remedies
**Truth in Lending Act (TILA):**
- Disclosure requirements
- Specific procedures
- Specific to credit
- Specific damages
**Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA):**
- See debt collection guide
- Specific procedures
- Specific to debts
- Specific protections
**Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA):**
- Robocalls + autodialer
- Specific procedures
- $500-$1,500 per violation
- Strong remedies
**CAN-SPAM Act:**
- Email regulations
- Specific procedures
- Specific to commercial email
- Federal + state
**FCRA:**
- Credit reporting
- Specific procedures
- Specific to violations
- Specific damages
**ADA / Title III:**
- Public accommodation
- Specific procedures
- Specific to disabilities
- Specific damages
**Specific industry:**
- Auto, financial, telecommunications
- Specific procedures
- Specific to ${s.name}
- Specific to industry
## Lemon laws
**${s.name}-specific:**
**Coverage:**
- New vehicles typically
- Sometimes used
- Specific procedures
- Specific to ${s.name}
**Triggers:**
- Specific number of repair attempts
- Specific time out of service
- Specific procedures
- Specific to ${s.name}
**Remedies:**
- Replacement
- Refund
- Specific procedures
- Specific to ${s.name}
## TCPA — robocalls + texts
**Strong consumer protection:**
**$500 per violation:**
- Negligent violation
- Specific procedures
- Specific to circumstances
- Specific damages
**$1,500 per violation:**
- Willful violation
- Specific procedures
- Specific to circumstances
- Specific damages
**Common violations:**
- Robocalls without consent
- Texts without consent
- Calls to cell phones
- Specific procedures
- Specific to circumstances
**Specific to industry:**
- Telemarketing
- Debt collection
- Political (limited)
- Specific to circumstances
## Class actions
**Often appropriate:**
**Common patterns:**
- Industry-wide practices
- Specific procedures
- Specific to circumstances
- Specific damages
**Specific issues:**
- Class certification
- Specific procedures
- Specific to ${s.name}
- See class actions guide
**Strategic:**
- Specific to circumstances
- Specific procedures
- Specific to amounts
- Specific to industries
## State Attorneys General
**Public enforcement:**
**${s.name} AG:**
- Specific procedures
- Specific to ${s.name}
- Specific to industries
- Significant resources
**Common practices:**
- Multi-state investigations
- Specific procedures
- Specific to circumstances
- Specific to circumstances
**Settlements:**
- Often substantial
- Specific procedures
- Specific to ${s.name}
- Specific to industries
## FTC enforcement
**Federal action:**
- Industry-wide investigations
- Specific procedures
- Specific to circumstances
- Specific to industries
**Penalties:**
- Substantial fines
- Specific procedures
- Specific to violations
- Specific to industry
**Recent priorities:**
- Tech companies
- Specific procedures
- Privacy
- Specific industries
## Specific consumer protections
**Auto sales:**
- Lemon laws
- Specific procedures
- Specific to ${s.name}
- Specific protections
**Healthcare:**
- Specific federal protections
- Specific to ${s.name}
- Specific procedures
- Specific to industry
**Financial services:**
- CFPB
- Specific procedures
- Specific to ${s.name}
- Specific to industry
**Tech / SaaS:**
- Specific to circumstances
- Specific procedures
- Specific to ${s.name}
- Specific protections
**Insurance:**
- ${s.name} insurance commissioner
- Specific procedures
- Specific to ${s.name}
- Specific protections
**Real estate:**
- See real estate fraud guide
- Specific procedures
- Specific to ${s.name}
- Specific protections
**Telecommunications:**
- FCC + state
- Specific procedures
- Specific to ${s.name}
- Specific protections
## Filing process
**Multiple options:**
**1. ${s.name} AG complaint:**
- Free
- Specific procedures
- Specific to ${s.name}
- Public investigation possible
**2. FTC complaint:**
- Federal level
- Specific procedures
- Specific to circumstances
- Federal action possible
**3. Specific industry regulator:**
- Specific to industry
- Specific procedures
- Specific to ${s.name}
- Specific to circumstances
**4. CFPB (financial services):**
- Federal level
- Specific procedures
- Specific to circumstances
- Federal action
**5. Better Business Bureau:**
- Mediation
- Specific procedures
- Specific to circumstances
- Limited
**6. Private lawsuit:**
- Often most effective
- Specific procedures
- Specific to circumstances
- Specific damages
**7. Class action:**
- Specific procedures
- Specific to circumstances
- Specific to amounts
- See class actions guide
## Damages
**State UDAP:**
- Actual damages
- Treble damages (sometimes)
- Attorney's fees
- Specific procedures
- Specific to ${s.name}
**Federal:**
- Specific to statute
- Specific procedures
- Specific to circumstances
- Specific damages
**Specific to claims:**
- Specific to circumstances
- Specific procedures
- Specific to laws
- Specific to ${s.name}
## Statute of limitations
**${s.name}-specific:**
- Generally 2-6 years
- Specific to ${s.name}
- Specific procedures
- Specific to claims
**Discovery rule:**
- Often applies
- Specific to circumstances
- Specific procedures
- Specific to ${s.name}
**Continuing violations:**
- Sometimes extend
- Specific procedures
- Specific to circumstances
- Specific to ${s.name}
## Strategic considerations
**For consumers:**
- Document everything
- Save communications
- Specific to circumstances
- Specific procedures
- File complaints with multiple agencies
- Consult attorney for significant losses
- Specific to ${s.name}
**For businesses:**
- Compliance with all applicable laws
- Specific procedures
- Specific to ${s.name}
- Industry-specific compliance
- Specific to FTC Act
- Document compliance
- Strong customer service
## Recent trends
**Notable issues:**
**Subscription traps:**
- Specific to circumstances
- Specific procedures
- Specific to ${s.name}
- FTC enforcement
**Privacy:**
- CCPA + state laws
- Specific procedures
- Specific to circumstances
- Specific damages
**Greenwashing:**
- False environmental claims
- Specific procedures
- FTC enforcement
- Specific to ${s.name}
**AI / algorithmic discrimination:**
- Specific to circumstances
- Specific procedures
- Specific to ${s.name}
- Specific protections
**Junk fees:**
- Hidden charges
- FTC enforcement
- Specific procedures
- Specific to ${s.name}
## What you should do
If you have consumer protection claims in California: file complaints with California AG + FTC + appropriate regulators (free), consult attorney for significant losses. Many California consumer attorneys offer free consultations + work on contingency. Treble damages + attorney's fees often available. Class action potential for industry-wide issues.
---
*This guide is general information about federal + California law as of mid-2026 and is not legal advice. Consumer protection law is broad. Talk to a licensed California attorney about your specific situation.*
This guide is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws change and outcomes depend on your specific situation — talk to a licensed attorney before acting on anything you read here.