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.
Northeast Harbor is a village on Mount Desert Island, located in the town of Mount Desert in Hancock County, Maine, United States. It is one of the more remote villages on the island and does not experience the same crunch of tourist activity found in the neighboring town of Bar Harbor. It is recognized as one of the prettiest villages on the coast of Maine, highlighted by a remarkably beautiful harbor filled in summertime with spectacular motor yachts and sailing ships. The town of Mount Desert has a significant summer population, and has long been a quiet enclave of the rich and famous. Residents include David Rockefeller (Seal Harbor), Martha Stewart (Seal Harbor), and the late Brooke Astor and Barbara Bel Geddes. The village was so popular as a summer resort among Philadelphians that it was sometimes known as "Philadelphia on the rocks". The local waters are dotted with charming islands and offer some of the finest sailing conditions in New England. People are drawn to the cooler weather and activities found in Acadia National Park which literally surrounds the village with its thick pine forest crisscrossed by miles of hiking trails and carriage paths.