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.