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.
Blue Mountain Lake is a rural hamlet in the Town of Indian Lake of Hamilton County, New York located at the intersection of New York Routes 28 and 30 with a population of 146 according to the U.S. Census, 2000. Blue Mountain Lake also refers to the lake on the banks of which the village is situated. Blue Mountain Lake is about 65 miles north of Utica, New York and about 90 miles north west from Albany, New York. The place is named after the mountain peak, Blue Mountain. The principal attractions include camping, boating and hiking supported by the several guest lodges in the area - at least one of which features and actively promotes the absence of televisions, telephones and radios in their rooms. The Adirondack Museum is located just outside the village of Blue Mountain Lake within walking distance east on Route 30. Image:Prospect House, Blue Mountain Lake - 1889 - Stoddard. jpg|Prospect House, Blue Mountain Lake, 1889 Seneca Ray Stoddard Image:Small steamboat TOWAHLOONDAH - 1889 - Stoddard. jpg|The small steamboat Towahloondah, 1889, S R Stoddard