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.
The unincorporated community of Paicines is located at 680 feet (207 m) above mean sea level (AMSL) in San Benito County, California along State Route 25. Guide signs along SR25 say the community is 13 miles (21 km) south of Hollister. The community is at the intersection of Panoche Road and SR25. Bolado County Park is just over three miles (5 km) north of the community and the site of the San Benito County Fair. Hydrologic features in the area include Tres Pinos Creek, the San Benito River, and an unnamed reservoir. The area is in the San Andreas Rift Zone, a term used to describe areas on proximity to the San Andreas Fault. Areas to the south and east are mountainous. The county line runs along the Gabilan Range. The community is a gateway to Pinnacles National Monument, a federal reservation straddling the mountains along the Monterey-San Benito County line. Famous people associated with Paicines include Lieutenant General Janet C. Wolfenbarger, the highest-ranking woman in the United States Air Force. Her parents Eldon and Shirley Libby reside in Paicines. The ZIP Code is 95043. The community is inside area code 831.