N.Y. General Business Law § 660: Construction

§ 660. Construction. 1. This article neither enlarges nor diminishes

the rights of parties in private litigation except as provided in this

section.

2. Any person who has been injured by reason of any violation of this

article may bring an action in his own name to enjoin such unlawful act

or practice, an action to recover his actual damages or fifty dollars,

whichever is greater, or both such actions. The court may, in its

discretion, increase the award of damages to an amount not to exceed

three times the actual damages, up to ten thousand dollars, together

with an award for reasonable attorney's fees, if the court finds the

defendant willfully or knowingly violated this section.

3. The attorney general may enforce the provisions of this article by

exercising the powers granted to him or her by subdivision twelve of

section sixty-three of the executive law.

4. Whenever the court shall determine that an operator has engaged in

repeated fraudulent or illegal acts, as defined in subdivision twelve of

section sixty-three of the executive law, in violation of section six

hundred fifty-three, six hundred fifty-four, six hundred fifty-five, six

hundred fifty-six or six hundred fifty-seven of this article, the court

may impose a civil penalty of not more than five hundred dollars for

each such act.