Debt, Credit & Consumer Protection · Surprise rank #292
New York Consumer Law Lets You Sue Deceptive Businesses for Damages
NY General Business Law §§349/350 consumer-deception damages
Who
Consumers injured by a qualifying deceptive act or practice in New York business, trade, commerce, or services.
What to do
Start here: Save advertisements, contracts, receipts, messages, and other evidence; consider filing a complaint with the Attorney General and seeking consumer-law legal advice about a private claim.
Eligibility: You need an injury caused by a practice made unlawful by the statute; legal standards and proof matter.
What you get
New York General Business Law section 349 makes unfair, deceptive, or abusive consumer acts unlawful; section 350 separately makes false advertising unlawful.
Benefit: A private court action may seek an injunction, actual damages or $50 (whichever is greater), and potentially attorney's fees; a court may increase damages for a willful or knowing violation, subject to the statute's cap.
Possible value: The remedy depends on the facts and court. The statute allows actual damages or $50 minimum under section 349, with discretionary enhanced damages up to $1,000.
Good to know
Important: This is not an automatic refund or a substitute for legal advice. Whether a specific business practice qualifies can be contested in court.
Availability: Current New York consumer-protection statutes.
Why people miss it: People may know false advertising is prohibited without knowing the statute can permit a private consumer action.
Sources reviewed: Aug 10, 2026