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.
Los Alamos is a townsite and census-designated place (CDP) in Los Alamos County, New Mexico, United States. The population of the CDP was 11,909 at the 2000 census. The townsite or "the hill" is one part of town while White Rock is also part of the town. Technically, both are part of the same incorporated city/county. Los Alamos is home to the Los Alamos National Laboratory, which was founded to undertake the Manhattan Project. Los Alamos County is an incorporated county, and many county offices are located at the townsite of Los Alamos. Los Alamos High School is the public high school of Los Alamos County. Before the Manhattan Project, the site was occupied by the Los Alamos Ranch School. Los Alamos has a county council which the people elect to four-year terms. The county council is seven members with four or three persons elected every two years to the four-year terms. The council elects a chairman and vice-chairman.