Consumer protection refers to the laws designed to aid retail consumers of goods and services that have been improperly manufactured, delivered, performed, handled, or described. Such laws provide the retail consumer with additional protections and remedies not generally provided to merchants and others who engage in business transactions, on the premise that the consumers do not enjoy a sufficient bargaining position with respect to the businessmen with whom they deal and therefore should not be strictly limited by the legal rules that govern recovery for damages among businessmen. The overarching goal is to protect individuals and the interest of the public in general from unfair and misleading activity in business and commerce (such as false advertising and deceptive trade practices) and scams perpetrated by criminals (such as identity theft and pyramid schemes) that harm a substantial number of consumers.
Aguanga is a unincorporated small town located within the Inland Empire, Riverside County, California. As of 1990, it had a population of 2,309. The community of Aguanga lies at the intersection of State Route 79 (SR 79) and State Route 371 (Cahuilla Road). This is along the historic Butterfield Overland Mail stage route. The area lies at about 1,940 feet (590 m) above mean sea level (AMSL) and is north of Cleveland National Forest. The straight-line distance to Palomar Observatory is 5.9 miles (9.5 km) south and the observatory site is about 3,500 feet (1,100 m) higher than the community. The town is also home to Cottonwood Elementary School (K-8) operated by the Hemet Valley Unified School District. The largest nearby town is Temecula, (along the Interstate 15 corridor), about 18 miles (29 km) west of Aguanga on SR 79. This area is in Temecula Creek canyon between Pechanga tribal lands and the San Diego County line. Official U.S. Geological Survey NAD27 coordinates for the community are 33°26′34″N 116°51′51″W / 33.44278°N 116.86417°W / 33.44278; -116.86417. It is within area code 951 and shares its ZIP Code, 92536, with the San Diego County Community of Holcomb Village. The town gets it name from a former village of the native Luiseño people called awáanga, meaning 'dog place'.