Although many state deceptive trade practices statutes include similar provisions, application of these statutes often differs from state to state. Consumers who have been victimized by a deceptive trade practice should be sure to consult their relevant state statutes to determine the appropriate procedures to follow, the appropriate office to contact, and special requirements that must be met to bring a suit in that state. Each state has adopted some version of a deceptive trade practices statute. The following are brief summaries of these statutes.

ALABAMA: The state statute prohibits 22 specific practices, plus any other deceptive or unconscionable acts or practices. The transaction must be conducted in trade or commerce for the statute to apply. The attorney general’s office or a district attorney’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

ALASKA: The state statute prohibits 41 specific practices, plus other unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices. The transaction must be conducted in trade or commerce for the statute to apply. The attorney general’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

ARIZONA: The state statute prohibits deception or an omission of a material fact by one party to a transaction with the intent to deceive the other party. The transaction must involve the sale, offer for sale, or lease of goods, real property, services, or intangibles for the statute to apply. The attorney general’s office or a county attorney’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

ARKANSAS: The state statute prohibits 10 specific practices, plus any other deceptive or unconscionable acts or practices. The transaction must involve the sale or advertisement of goods or services for the statute to apply.

CALIFORNIA: The state statute prohibits 23 specific practices, plus any other unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive practices. Parties must intend for the transaction to result in the sale or lease of goods or services to a consumer for the statute to apply.

COLORADO: The state legislature adopted the Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act which prohibits 43 specific practices. Transactions must be in the course of a person’s business, vocation, or occupation, and involve the sale of goods, services, or real property for the statute to apply. The attorney general’s office or a district attorney’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

CONNECTICUT: The state statute prohibits unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices. The transaction must be conducted in trade or commerce for the statute to apply. The Commission of Consumer Protection or the attorney general’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

DELAWARE: The state legislature adopted the Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act which prohibits 12 specific practices, plus other conduct that creates the likelihood of a misunderstanding on the part of a consumer. The transaction must be conducted in the course of business, vocation, or occupation for the statute to apply. The attorney general’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA: The state statute prohibits 31 specific practices, plus other unfair, deceptive, or unlawful trade practices. The transaction must involve trade practices involving consumer goods or services. The Office of Consumer Protection may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

FLORIDA: The state statute prohibits unfair methods of competition, unconscionable acts or practices, and deceptive or unfair acts or practices. A finding of a violation may be based on rules promulgated by the Federal Trade Commission. The transaction must be conducted in trade or commerce for the statute to apply. The Department of Legal Affairs or the state attorney’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

GEORGIA: The state legislature adopted the Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act which prohibits deceptive or unfair acts or practices in a consumer transaction or an office supply transaction. A number of specific examples are included in the statute. The statute applies to consumer transactions in trade or commerce. Georgia Office of Consumer Affairs may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

HAWAII: The state legislature adopted the Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act which prohibits 12 specific practices, plus any other conduct that creates a misunderstanding on the part of a consumer. The transaction must be conducted in the course of a business, vocation, or occupation for the statute to apply.

IDAHO: The state statute prohibits 18 specific practices, plus any misleading consumer practices or unconscionable practices. The transaction must be conducted in trade or commerce for the statute to apply. The attorney general’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

ILLINOIS: The state legislature 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. Proscribed practices include concealment or omission by a business of any material fact with an intent to cause reliance by a consumer. The transaction must be conducted in trade or commerce for the statute to apply. The attorney general’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

INDIANA: The state statute prohibits a number of specific practices, including transactions involving contracts with unconscionable provisions. The transaction must be a consumer transaction as defined by the statute for the statute to apply. The attorney general’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

IOWA: The state statute prohibits four specific practices, plus any other unfair or deceptive acts, or concealment or omission of a material fact by a business with the intent to cause reliance on the part of the consumer. The transaction must involve the sale, offer of sale, or advertisement of goods, real property, or several intangible items described in the statue for the statute to apply. The attorney general’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

KANSAS: The state statute prohibits 11 specific practices, plus any unconscionable practices as defined by the statute. The transaction must involve the sale or lease of property or services intended for personal, family, household, business, or agricultural purposes. The attorney general’s office or local prosecuting attorney’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

KENTUCKY: The state statute prohibits unfair or deceptive acts or practices, including unconscionable practices. The transaction must be conducted in trade or commerce for the statute to apply. The attorney general’s office or county attorney’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

LOUISIANA: The state statute prohibits unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices. The transaction must be conducted in trade or commerce for the statute to apply. The Governor’s Consumer Protection Division may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

MAINE: The state legislature adopted the Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act. The state statute prohibits 12 specific practices, plus conduct likely to create confusion or misunderstanding to a consumer, unfair methods of competition, and unfair or deceptive acts or practices. The transaction must be conducted in trade or commerce for the statute to apply. The attorney general’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

MARYLAND: The state statute prohibits unfair or deceptive trade practices, including a number of practices specified in the statute. The transaction must involve the sale, offer for sale, or lease of consumer goods, real property, or services. Consumer debt collection and extension of consumer credit are also within the scope of the statute. The Division of Consumer Protection of the Attorney General’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

MASSACHUSETTS: The state statute prohibits unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices. The transaction must be conducted in trade or commerce for the statute to apply. The attorney general’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

MICHIGAN: The state statute prohibits 31 specific practices, plus any other deceptive, unfair, or unconscionable acts or practices. The transaction must be conducted in trade or commerce for the statute to apply. The attorney general’s office or a district attorney’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

MINNESOTA: The state legislature adopted the Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act which prohibits 13 specific practices, plus any other deceptive or unconscionable acts or practices. The transaction must be conducted in the course of business, voca-tion, or occupation for the statute to apply. The attorney general’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

MISSISSIPPI: The state statute prohibits 22 specific practices, plus any other deceptive or unconscionable acts or practices. The transaction must be conducted in trade or commerce for the statute to apply. The Attorney General’s Office of Consumer Protection may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

MISSOURI: The state statute prohibits deceptive or unfair acts or concealment or omission of a material fact from a consumer. The transaction may involve the sale, offer for sale, or advertisement of any merchandise for the statute to apply. The attorney general’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

MONTANA: The state statute prohibits unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices. The transaction must involve the sale, offer for sale, or advertisement of any real or personal property, services, intangibles, or anything of value. The attorney general’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

NEBRASKA: The state legislature adopted the Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act which prohibits 14 specific practices, plus unfair methods of competition, other unfair or deceptive acts or practices, and all unconscionable acts by a supplier in a consumer transaction. The transaction must be conducted in trade or commerce for the statute to apply. The attorney general’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

NEVADA: The state statute prohibits a number of deceptive trade practices set forth in the statute. The transaction must be conducted in the course of a business or occupation. The Commissioner of Consumer Affairs, Director of the Department of Commerce, attorney general’s office, or a district attorney’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

NEW HAMPSHIRE: The state statute prohibits 12 specific practices, plus any unfair methods of competition or any other unfair of deceptive act or practice. The transaction must be conducted in trade or commerce for the statute to apply. The attorney general’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

NEW JERSEY: The state statute prohibits unconscionable commercial practices, deception, fraud, or the knowing concealment or omission of a material fact with the intent to cause reliance on the part of a consumer. The statute includes numerous specific prohibitions. The transaction may be conducted in conjunction with the sale or advertisement of any merchandise or real property for the statute to apply. The attorney general’s office or the director of a county or municipal office of consumer affairs may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

NEW MEXICO: The state legislature adopted the Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act which prohibits 17 specific deceptive practices, two specific unconscionable practices, and other unfair or deceptive trade practices. The transaction must be conducted in trade or commerce for the statute to apply. The attorney general’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

NEW YORK: The state statute prohibits deceptive acts or practices and false advertising. The transaction must be conducted in business, trade, or commerce, or in the furnishing of a service in the state, for the statute to apply. The attorney general’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

NORTH CAROLINA: The state statute prohibits unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices. The transaction must be conducted in or affect commerce, including all business activities. The attorney general’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

NORTH DAKOTA: The state statute prohibits deceptive acts or practices, fraud, or misrepresentation with the intent for consumer to rely on the representation. The transaction may involve a sale or advertisement of any merchandise for the statute to apply. The attorney general’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

OHIO: The state legislature adopted the Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act. The state statute prohibits 11 specific practices, plus any other deceptive or unconscionable acts or practices. The transaction must be a consumer transaction for the statute to apply. The attorney general’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

OKLAHOMA: The state legislature adopted the Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act which prohibits 11 specific deceptive trade practices. The transaction must be conducted in a course of a business, vocation, or occupation for the statute to apply. The attorney general’s office or a district attorney’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

OREGON: The state statute prohibits 20 specific unfair or deceptive acts or practices, plus two unconscionable tactics. The transaction must be conducted in trade or commerce for the statute to apply. The attorney general’s office or a district attorney’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

PENNSYLVANIA: The state statute prohibits 21 practices, plus other unfair methods of competition, deceptive acts or practices, or any fraudulent or deceptive conduct that is likely to create confusion to a consumer. The transaction must be conducted in trade or commerce for the statute to apply. The attorney general’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

RHODE ISLAND: The state statute prohibits 19 specific unfair methods of competition or unfair or deceptive practices. The transaction must be conducted in trade or commerce for the statute to apply. The attorney general’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

SOUTH CAROLINA: The state statute prohibits unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices. The transaction must be conducted in trade or commerce for the statute to apply. The attorney general’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

SOUTH DAKOTA: The state statute prohibits knowing and intentional deceptive practices, plus practices involving an omission of a material fact in connection with a sale of merchandise to a consumer. The transaction must be conducted in business for the statute to apply. The attorney general’s office or the state’s attorney with attorney general approval may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

TENNESSEE: The state statute prohibits 30 specific practices, plus any other deceptive or unfair acts or practices. The transaction must be conducted in trade or commerce for the statute to apply. The attorney general’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

TEXAS: The state statute prohibits 25 specific practices, plus additional actions for breach of warranty, insurance violations, or unconscionable acts or practices. The transaction must be conducted in trade or commerce for the statute to apply. The Consumer Protection Division of the attorney general’s office or a district attorney’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

UTAH: The state statute prohibits 15 specific unconscionable practices by a supplier in a consumer transaction, plus other deceptive acts or practices. The transaction must be a consumer transaction for the statute to apply. The Division of Consumer Protection or other state officials or agencies with authority over suppliers may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

VERMONT: The state statute prohibits unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices. The transaction must be conducted in commerce for the statute to apply. The attorney general’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

VIRGINIA: The state statute prohibits 32 specific practices, plus any other fraudulent acts or practices. A supplier must conduct a consumer transaction for the statute to apply. The attorney general’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

WASHINGTON: The state statute prohibits unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices. The transaction must be conducted in trade or commerce for the statute to apply. The attorney general’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

WEST VIRGINIA: The state statute prohibits 16 specific practices, plus other unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive practices. The transaction must be conducted in trade or commerce for the statute to apply. The attorney general’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

WISCONSIN: The state statute prohibits 14 specific practices, plus other untrue, deceptive, or misleading representations; unfair methods of competition; and unfair trade practices. The statute applies to virtually any transaction due to the broad scope of the statutory language. The Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection may enforce the statute for violations by a business.

WYOMING: The state statute prohibits several specific practices, plus other unfair or deceptive acts or practices. The transaction must be conducted in the scope of a business and in a consumer transaction for the statute to apply. The attorney general’s office may enforce the statute for violations by a business.