Unlawful Trade Practices Act
The Unlawful Trade Practices Act is an Oregon statute that protects consumers from unfair or unconscionable business practices. The text of this statute is provided as general information to the public. It may be amended, revised, or rescinded at any time without notice. This information is not intended to be legal advice. For more information, please see our disclaimer.
§ 646.608 Additional unlawful business, trade practices; proof; rules
(1) A person engages in an unlawful practice when in the course of the person’s business, vocation or occupation the person does any of the following:
(a) Passes off real estate, goods or services as those of another.
(b) Causes likelihood of confusion or of misunderstanding as to the source, sponsorship, approval, or certification of real estate, goods or services.
(c) Causes likelihood of confusion or of misunderstanding as to affiliation, connection, or association with, or certification by, another.
(d) Uses deceptive representations or designations of geographic origin in connection with real estate, goods or services.
(e) Represents that real estate, goods or services have sponsorship, approval, characteristics, ingredients, uses, benefits, quantities or qualities that they do not have or that a person has a sponsorship, approval, status, qualification, affiliation, or connection that the person does not have.
(f) Represents that real estate or goods are original or new if they are deteriorated, altered, reconditioned, reclaimed, used or secondhand.
(g) Represents that real estate, goods or services are of a particular standard, quality, or grade, or that real estate or goods are of a particular style or model, if they are of another.
(h) Disparages the real estate, goods, services, property or business of a customer or another by false or misleading representations of fact.
(i) Advertises real estate, goods or services with intent not to provide them as advertised, or with intent not to supply reasonably expectable public demand, unless the advertisement discloses a limitation of quantity.
(j) Makes false or misleading representations of fact concerning the reasons for, existence of, or amounts of price reductions.
(k) Makes false or misleading representations concerning credit availability or the nature of the transaction or obligation incurred.
(L) Makes false or misleading representations relating to commissions or other compensation to be paid in exchange for permitting real estate, goods or services to be used for model or demonstration purposes or in exchange for submitting names of potential customers.
(m) Performs service on or dismantles any goods or real estate when not authorized by the owner or apparent owner thereof.
(n) Solicits potential customers by telephone or door to door as a seller unless the person provides the information required under ORS 646.611 (Information required to be given by telephone or door to door seller to potential customer).
(o) In a sale, rental or other disposition of real estate, goods or services, gives or offers to give a rebate or discount or otherwise pays or offers to pay value to the customer in consideration of the customer giving to the person the names of prospective purchasers, lessees, or borrowers, or otherwise aiding the person in making a sale, lease, or loan to another person, if earning the rebate, discount or other value is contingent upon occurrence of an event subsequent to the time the customer enters into the transaction.
(p) Makes any false or misleading statement about a prize, contest or promotion used to publicize a product, business or service.
(q) Promises to deliver real estate, goods or services within a certain period of time with intent not to deliver them as promised.
(r) Organizes or induces or attempts to induce membership in a pyramid club.
(s) Makes false or misleading representations of fact concerning the offering price of, or the person’s cost for real estate, goods or services.
(t) Concurrent with tender or delivery of any real estate, goods or services fails to disclose any known material defect or material nonconformity.
(u) Engages in any other unfair or deceptive conduct in trade or commerce.
(v) Violates any of the provisions relating to auction sales, auctioneers or auction marts under ORS 698.640 (Requirements for auction sales, auctioneers and auction marts), whether in a commercial or noncommercial situation.
(w) Manufactures mercury fever thermometers.
(x) Sells or supplies mercury fever thermometers unless the thermometer is required by federal law, or is:
(A) Prescribed by a person licensed under ORS chapter 677; and
(B) Supplied with instructions on the careful handling of the thermometer to avoid breakage and on the proper cleanup of mercury should breakage occur.
(y) Sells a thermostat that contains mercury unless the thermostat is labeled in a manner to inform the purchaser that mercury is present in the thermostat and that the thermostat may not be disposed of until the mercury is removed, reused, recycled or otherwise managed to ensure that the mercury does not become part of the solid waste stream or wastewater. For purposes of this paragraph, "thermostat" means a device commonly used to sense and, through electrical communication with heating, cooling or ventilation equipment, control room temperature.
(z) Sells or offers for sale a motor vehicle manufactured after January 1, 2006, that contains mercury light switches.
(aa) Violates the provisions of ORS 803.375 (False application prohibited), 803.385 (False swearing relating to registration) or 815.410 (Illegal odometer tampering) to 815.430 (Submitting false odometer disclosure).
(bb) Violates ORS 646A.070 (Sale of telephonic equipment) (1).
(cc) Violates any requirement of ORS 646A.030 (Definitions for ORS 646A.030 to 646A.042) to 646A.040 (Waiver of provisions of ORS 646A.030 to 646A.042).
(dd) Violates the provisions of ORS 128.801 (Definitions for ORS 128.801 to 128.898) to 128.898 (Short title).
(ee) Violates ORS 646.883 (Price comparison in advertisement prohibited) or 646.885 (Use of terms in advertisement containing price comparison).
(ff) Violates any provision of ORS 646A.020 (Prohibited conduct).
(gg) Violates ORS 646.569 (Prohibition on telephone solicitation of party whose name is included on list described in ORS 646.574 or on federal registry designated under ORS 646.572).
(hh) Violates the provisions of ORS 646A.142 (Rental vehicle collision damage waiver notice).
(ii) Violates ORS 646A.360 (Unsolicited facsimile machine transmissions).
(jj) Violates ORS 646.553 (Registration of telephonic sellers) or 646.557 (Required disclosures by telephonic seller) or any rule adopted pursuant thereto.
(kk) Violates ORS 646.563 (Telephone solicitation of party who states desire not to be called).
(LL) Violates ORS 759.690 (Operator service provider duties to service users) or any rule adopted pursuant thereto.
(mm) Violates the provisions of ORS 759.705 (Program message preamble), 759.710 (Pay-per-call information) and 759.720 (Action against information provider for failure to comply with law) or any rule adopted pursuant thereto.
(nn) Violates ORS 646A.210 (Requiring credit card number as condition for accepting check or share draft prohibited) or 646A.214 (Verification of identity in credit or debit card transactions).
(oo) Violates any provision of ORS 646A.124 (General disclosure requirements) to 646A.134 (Disclosures required in advertisement for lease-purchase agreements).
(pp) Violates ORS 646A.254 (Prohibited conduct).
(qq) Violates ORS 646A.095 (Disclosure required when purchaser of product offered technical support through information delivery system).
(rr) Violates ORS 822.046 (Vehicle dealer's duty to inform potential buyer if vehicle used for manufacture of controlled substances).
(ss) Violates ORS 128.001 (Limitations on accepting payment for preparation of trust).
(tt) Violates ORS 646.649 (Late fees on delinquent cable service accounts) (2) to (4).
(uu) Violates ORS 646A.090 (Offer to sell or lease motor vehicle subject to future acceptance by lender) (2) to (4).
(vv) Violates ORS 87.686 (Rental agreement).
(ww) Violates ORS 646.651 (Contest and sweepstakes solicitations).
(xx) Violates ORS 646A.362 (Exclusion of name from sweepstakes promotion mailing list).
(yy) Violates ORS 646A.052 (Form of purchase agreement) or any rule adopted under ORS 646A.052 (Form of purchase agreement) or 646A.054 (Rules).
(zz) Violates ORS 180.440 (Prohibited conduct) (1).
(aaa) Commits the offense of acting as a vehicle dealer without a certificate under ORS 822.005 (Acting as vehicle dealer without certificate).
(bbb) Violates ORS 87.007 (Protection of purchasers of residential property from construction liens that may be perfected after sale of property completed) (2) or (3).
(ccc) Violates ORS 92.405 (Sale prohibited where public report not waived) (1), (2) or (3).
(ddd) Engages in an unlawful practice under ORS 646.648 (Unlawful practice by manufactured dwelling dealer).
(eee) Violates ORS 646A.365 (Check, draft or payment instrument creating obligation for payment).
(fff) Violates ORS 98.854 (Prohibitions placed on tower of vehicles) or 98.858 (Right of owner or person in lawful possession of vehicle to redeem vehicle, contact tower and obtain property of emergency nature) or a rule adopted under ORS 98.864 (Rules).
(ggg) Sells a gift card in violation of ORS 646A.276 (Sale of gift card that expires, declines in value or includes fee).
(hhh) Violates ORS 646A.102 (Notice of intent to conduct going out of business sale), 646A.106 (Circumstances in which going out of business sale prohibited) or 646A.108 (Prohibited conduct).
(iii) Violates ORS 646A.430 (Definitions for ORS 646A.430 to 646A.450) to 646A.450 (Rules).
(2) A representation under subsection (1) of this section or ORS 646.607 (Unlawful business, trade practices) may be any manifestation of any assertion by words or conduct, including, but not limited to, a failure to disclose a fact.
(3) In order to prevail in an action or suit under ORS 646.605 (Definitions for ORS 646.605 to 646.652) to 646.652 (District attorney's reports to Attorney General), a prosecuting attorney need not prove competition between the parties or actual confusion or misunderstanding.
(4) An action or suit may not be brought under subsection (1)(u) of this section unless the Attorney General has first established a rule in accordance with the provisions of ORS chapter 183 declaring the conduct to be unfair or deceptive in trade or commerce.
(5) Notwithstanding any other provision of ORS 646.605 (Definitions for ORS 646.605 to 646.652) to 646.652 (District attorney's reports to Attorney General), if an action or suit is brought under subsection (1)(zz) of this section by a person other than a prosecuting attorney, relief is limited to an injunction and the prevailing party may be awarded reasonable attorney fees. [1971 c.744 §7 (enacted in lieu of 646.615); 1973 c.235 §2; 1973 c.513 §1; 1975 c.437 §1; 1977 c.195 §2; 1979 c.503 §4; 1983 c.404 §5; 1985 c.251 §10a; 1985 c.538 §3; 1985 c.694 §8; 1985 c.729 §22; 1987 c.626 §5; 1989 c.273 §7; 1989 c.451 §4; 1989 c.458 §3; 1989 c.621 §4; 1989 c.622 §7; 1989 c.623 §3; 1989 c.913 §1; 1991 c.532 §25; 1991 c.672 §8; 1993 c.58 §3; 1993 c.283 §10; 1993 c.582 §11; 1993 c.645 §10; 1993 c.700 §2; 1995 c.713 §6; 1995 c.788 §2; 1997 c.132 §6; 1997 c.806 §2; 1999 c.194 §9; 1999 c.400 §4; 1999 c.669 §3; 1999 c.719 §3; 1999 c.875 §3; 2001 c.924 §§11,13; 2001 c.969 §5; 2003 c.133 §§1,2; 2003 c.486 §§2,3; 2003 c.778 §§4,5; 2003 c.801 §§18,19; 2005 c.42 §§1,2; 2005 c.799 §§2,3; 2007 c.304 §2; 2007 c.538 §18; 2007 c.685 §13; 2007 c.772 §4; 2007 c.820 §8; 2007 c.823 §5]
Note: The amendments to 646.608 (Additional unlawful business, trade practices) by section 13, chapter 685, Oregon Laws 2007, become operative July 1, 2008. See section 15, chapter 685, Oregon Laws 2007. The text that is operative until July 1, 2008, including amendments by section 2, chapter 304, Oregon Laws 2007, section 18, chapter 538, Oregon Laws 2007, section 4, chapter 772, Oregon Laws 2007, section 8, chapter 820, Oregon Laws 2007, and section 5, chapter 823, Oregon Laws 2007, is set forth for the user’s convenience.
