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.
Aptos is a census-designated place (CDP) in Santa Cruz County, California, United States. The population was 9,396 at the 2000 census. Aptos is an unincorporated area of Santa Cruz county, consisting of several small communities. The combined population of the CDPs generally considered as parts of Aptos is around 25,000: Aptos Village, the main business and commerce center on the northwest side of Hwy 1, between State Park Drive and Rio Del Mar Blvd. Seacliff, northwest of Hwy 1, west of Spreckels drive Rio Del Mar, south of Hwy 1, east of Spreckels, down to near Seascape Blvd. Seascape, south west of Hwy 1 La Selva Beach, farthest southeast, also west of Hwy 1. Aptos Hills-Larkin Valley, Day Valley north/east of Hwy 1.