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.
Phelan is an unincorporated town located in San Bernardino County, California south of SR 18 and northeast of SR 138. 30 miles east of Palmdale and 18 miles west of Victorville, the town is situated in the Victor Valley in the Mojave Desert north of the San Gabriel Mountains. As of 2007, the town of Phelan has a population just under 20,000 people, with an elevation of 4,112 ft at the town center, located at the corner of Phelan Rd at Sheep Creek Rd. It is served by the Snowline Joint Unified School District. Called "The Land of Champagne Climate," Phelan's history dates back to the days of the Mormon Trail, when settlers would pass through the area on their way to San Bernardino and points beyond. Despite this long history, the area is still relatively rural. Most businesses are situated in strip malls dotted along the sides of Phelan Rd, and the "main hub" of town would be the crossroad of Phelan Rd. and Sheepcreek Rd. , where the majority of commercial activity and businesses are located. Overall, there is only a handful of businesses in this town. Paved roads are few due to the low population. The Snowline Joint Unified School District serves Phelan as well as Wrightwood, Piñon Hills, Baldy Mesa, Oak Hills, and the West Cajon Valley. The area's schools include Piñon Mesa Middle School, Serrano High School (named after the Serrano people), Quail Valley Middle School, Baldy Mesa Elementary, Piñon Hills Elementary, Wrightwood Elementary, Vista Verde Elementary, Heritage School, Chaparral High School, Desert View Independent School, Eagle Summit Community Day School, and Phelan Elementary. Phelan was named after Senator James D. Phelan. Phelan, along with Victorville, Hesperia, Apple Valley, and several other towns, is considered part of a region known as the High Desert. The ZIP Code is 92371 and 92329 and the community is inside area code760.