A. Any person, firm or corporation who knowingly and willfully introduces, attempts to introduce or causes to be introduced false information into the files of a consumer reporting agency or credit bureau for the purpose of wrongfully damaging or wrongfully enhancing the credit information of any individual, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be punished by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than one (1) year or by a fine of not more than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), or by both such fine and imprisonment.
B. Any person, firm or corporation who knowingly promulgates or publishes a false opinion or statement in any book or list as to the credit or financial standing of any person, and circulates such book or list among wholesale or retail business concerns, shall be liable in damages to the person about whom the false opinion or statement is made, for the full amount of injury sustained, and in addition thereto for exemplary damages in any sum to be fixed by the jury, and shall also be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be punished by imprisonment in the county jail for not more than one (1) year or by a fine of not more than Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), or by both such fine and imprisonment.
R.L. 1910, § 2908; Laws 1984, c. 59, § 1, emerg. eff. March 27, 1984.