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.
Atlantic Beach is an affluent village off the South Shore of Long Island in Town of Hempstead, Nassau County, New York and is one of the Outer barrier islands which it shares with Long Beach, Lido Beach and Point Lookout. As of the United States 2000 Census, the village population was 1,986. Atlantic Beach has many beach clubs along the Atlantic Ocean shore, including Lawrence Beach Club, Sunny Atlantic Beach Club, The Sands, Catalina Beach Club, Silver Point Beach Club and Sun and Surf Beach Club. Cabanas or lockers can be rented at these clubs, often costing thousands per season. During the summer months, the population swells by thousands as people flood the beaches. There are no publicly accessible beaches, however Atlantic Beach residents may obtain season passes and access the beaches though nine entrances.