---
kind: "section"
citation: "15 U.S.C. § 1679g"
title: "15"
title_heading: "Commerce and Trade"
number: "1679g"
heading: "Civil liability"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/15/1679g"
units:
  - "Chapter 41 — Consumer Credit Protection"
  - "Subchapter II–A — Credit Repair Organizations"
---

# §1679g. Civil liability

- (a) **Liability established—** Any [person](/usc/15/1602.md?p=e) who fails to comply with any provision of this subchapter with respect to any other [person](/usc/15/1602.md?p=e) shall be liable to such [person](/usc/15/1602.md?p=e) in an amount equal to the sum of the amounts determined under each of the following paragraphs:
  - (1) **Actual damages—** The greater of—
    - (A) the amount of any actual damage sustained by such [person](/usc/15/1602.md?p=e) as a result of such failure; or
    - (B) any amount paid by the [person](/usc/15/1602.md?p=e) to the [credit repair organization](/usc/15/1679a.md?p=3).
  - (2) **Punitive damages—**
    - (A) **Individual actions—** In the case of any action by an individual, such additional amount as the court may allow.
    - (B) **Class actions—** In the case of a class action, the sum of—
      - (i) the aggregate of the amount which the court may allow for each named plaintiff; and
      - (ii) the aggregate of the amount which the court may allow for each other class member, without regard to any minimum individual recovery.
  - (3) **Attorneys’ fees—** In the case of any successful action to enforce any liability under paragraph [(1)](#a-1) or [(2)](#a-2), the costs of the action, together with reasonable attorneys’ fees.
- (b) **Factors to be considered in awarding punitive damages—** In determining the amount of any liability of any [credit repair organization](/usc/15/1679a.md?p=3) under [subsection (a)(2)](#a-2), the court shall consider, among other relevant factors—
  - (1) the frequency and persistence of noncompliance by the [credit repair organization](/usc/15/1679a.md?p=3);
  - (2) the nature of the noncompliance;
  - (3) the extent to which such noncompliance was intentional; and
  - (4) in the case of any class action, the number of [consumers](/usc/15/1679a.md?p=1) adversely affected.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 90–321, title IV, § 409, as added Pub. L. 104–208, div. A, title II, § 2451, Sept. 30, 1996, 110 Stat. 3009–459.)

## Notes

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Effective Date

Section applicable after the end of the 6-month period beginning on Sept. 30, 1996, except with respect to contracts entered into by a credit repair organization before the end of such period, see section 413 of Pub. L. 90–321, as added by Pub. L. 104–208, set out as a note under section 1679 of this title.