ยง 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.