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.
Saratoga is a city in Santa Clara County, California, USA. It is located on the west side of the Santa Clara Valley, directly west of San Jose, in the San Francisco Bay Area. The population was 30,318 at the 2007 census. Located on the western edge of the Silicon Valley, Saratoga is locally known for its suburban small-town feel, wineries, and high-end boutiques. In 2008, CNN/Money ranked Saratoga number 4 in its listing of top-earning towns. Saratoga was also ranked by Forbes in 2009 as one of America's top 20 most educated small towns. Major attractions include Villa Montalvo, Hakone Gardens, and the Mountain Winery.