What constitutes false and misleading advertising?

False and misleading advertising occurs when a statement or representation about a product or service is not true and is intended to deceive or mislead consumers. This is most accurately represented by a false statement that misleads the buying public. In this context, a false statement could be anything from exaggerating a product's effectiveness to making unfounded claims about a service that could influence potential buyers' decisions.

The focus here is on the intent and impact of the statement. If a claim is false and has the potential to mislead consumers, it falls under the definition of false advertising. This not only affects consumer trust but also can lead to legal repercussions for businesses that engage in such practices.

In contrast, other options either describe scenarios that do not meet the criteria for false advertising or involve truthful claims that do not mislead the public in any significant way. For instance, a true statement made to mislead, while misleading in intention, does not qualify because it begins with a fact; accurate descriptions inherently do not mislead; and unverifiable claims, while potentially dubious, do not necessarily constitute false advertising unless they are explicitly false.