Simple English definitions for legal terms
Read a random definition: aggregate concept
Deceptive Act: A behavior that is likely to trick or mislead a person who is acting reasonably in a similar situation. This is defined by the Federal Trade Commission and most state laws. It is also known as deceptive practice or deceptive sales practice. Deceptive advertising is a type of deceptive act that involves false advertising.
Definition: A deceptive act is conduct that is likely to deceive a consumer who is acting reasonably under similar circumstances. This is defined by the Federal Trade Commission and most state statutes.
For example, if a company advertises a product as "all natural" when it actually contains synthetic ingredients, this would be considered a deceptive act. Another example would be if a car dealership advertised a car as having low mileage when it actually had its odometer tampered with to show a lower number.
These examples illustrate the definition because they both involve a company misleading consumers in order to make a sale. The consumer is acting reasonably by trusting the information provided by the company, but the company is intentionally deceiving them in order to make a profit.