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.
Dobbins (formerly, Dobbin, Dobbins Ranche, Dobbins Ranch, and Dobbin's Ranche) is an unincorporated community in Yuba County, California. It lies 26 miles (42 km) northeast of Marysville, at an elevation of 1742 feet, in the foothills of the western Sierra Nevada Mountain Range off of Highway 20 and Marysville Road. Dobbins is north of Oregon House and south of Bullards Bar Dam. Dobbins has one post office, one general store, 2 churches, a grange hall, one grade school, one charter school, and Lake Francis Resort. The town was settled in 1849, and named for William M. and Mark D. Dobbins, early settlers. The first post office was established in 1851 under the name Dobbins Ranche'; it closed in 1854. The post office returned in 1887 and has operated continuously since. A mining camp, Kentucky Ranch was located 1.5 miles (2.4 km) to the southwest. Egan, which had a post office from 1896-1898 was 3 miles (4.8 km) north. Frequently in the winter seasons it is subject to periodic snowfalls that close roads. Most students attend high school in Marysville, CA or in the Sierra County school district.