Articles Posted in Fraud

Picture the scene: you’re sitting across from a hiring manager who practically vibrates with excitement. The company, you’re told, is “on the verge of a Series C.” Our new product will “change the industry.” Revenues are “projected to triple.” The culture is “like a family.” Six months later, there’s no Series C, the product flopped, and the company just laid off a third of its staff — including you.

Can you sue them for fraud? In California, the short answer is almost always no — and understanding why reveals something important about the boundary between enthusiastic salesmanship and legally enforceable promises.

The doctrine of puffery: when words are just words