This act is applicable to a wide range of transactions, encompassing the purchase of goods or the execution of lease agreements. Issues falling under its purview can vary in severity, from seemingly minor instances like falsely advertising a "going out of business sale" when the business is not genuinely closing, to more serious cases such as selling paint labeled as lead-free when it actually contains lead.

Designed to protect consumers from defective or hazardous business practices, breaches of warranty, misleading advertisements, and inadequate warning or ingredient labels, among other concerns, the DTPA holds businesses accountable for deceptive actions. If you find yourself misled by a business regarding a product, we are here to assist you in determining the appropriate course of action for your situation.

What Does the DTPA Cover?

As previously mentioned, the scope of the DTPA is comprehensive, encompassing a wide array of business practices and scenarios. The Texas DTPA can be broadly categorized into the following three main areas:

Unfair Exploitation: Unconscionable Acts

The term "unconscionable acts" might sound dramatic, but it simply denotes actions that create an imbalanced transaction. In essence, these acts are defined as taking undue advantage of a person's lack of knowledge, ability, experience, or capacity to an extremely unfair extent.

For instance, exploiting a language barrier to significantly overcharge someone or making exaggerated promises about a product's benefits to a consumer who is unfamiliar with the service or item would be examples of such unconscionable acts.

Violation of Warranty

A breach of warranty occurs when a service or product's warranties, guarantees, or promises related to its functionality are not upheld. Businesses must fulfill these claims to avoid misleading consumers

For instance, if a car company fails to honor a valid warranty for one of their vehicles, they could be held accountable under the DPTA.

To safeguard your interests, a contract lawyer can assist you in crafting a legally binding contract that includes all essential terms and conditions.

False, Misleading, or Deceptive Practices

The DTPA's final encompassing category pertains to any actions that deceive or mislead consumers regarding a product's nature. This safeguards against businesses resorting to dishonest tactics to secure a sale, only for the purchased product to differ substantially from what was promised.

An illustrative example falling under this category would be false product labeling, such as a bag of chips labeled as containing only 30 calories when, in reality, it contains 300 calories – an act that the DTPA strictly prohibits.

With the DTPA covering diverse cases, you can anticipate its application in the following situations:

• Refusal to fulfill warranties or guarantees.
• Advertising goods or services with no intention to sell them as advertised.
• Selling used products as new.
• Exploiting language barriers or deficiencies.
• Misleading consumers about necessary repairs.
• Charging exorbitant prices for goods or services during emergencies or catastrophes.
• Exaggerating the benefits of a service or product to consumers.
• Making false claims about a competing company or product.
• Utilizing misleading or false advertisements.
• Misrepresenting sales prices.

While the aforementioned examples represent some of the circumstances where the DTPA may be invoked, it is important to note that it can apply to various other scenarios as well, depending on the specifics of each case