Speech used to intentionally mislead others to gain a tangible benefit while causing harm to the one deceived or to others is generally labeled “fraud.” This term is used in both legal and nonlegal contexts. Where speech used to defraud satisfies the elements of a tort or a crime, it becomes...

Attorneys general from New York, Massachusetts, and several other states are investigating whether Exxon Mobil Corp. misled investors and the public about climate change over the past four decades. The allegations against the oil company closely resemble schemes carried out by the tobacco,...

The tobacco, asbestos, and fossil fuel industries, among others, have misled the public about the dangers posed by their products by lying about the science behind the products. Individuals harmed by these misrepresentations should be able to sue for fraud. Plaintiffs in fraud cases of this...

If one deceives another in a manner that profits the deceiver and harms the victim, it is fraud, a crime and a tort. However, if one deceives a great number of people in a manner that profits the deceiver and harms the public, it is generally neither a crime nor a tort. It is often legal to...