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.
Dover Plains is a hamlet in Dutchess County, New York, United States. The population was 1,996 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined Statistical Area. Dover Plains is in the northeast part of the Town of Dover on NY 22. Metro-North Railroad has a Harlem Line station here, bringing commuters to New York City. This station was the line's northern terminus for many years, until the line was expanded four miles north to Wassaic in the early 2000s. John Hall (NY-D), is a Congressman representing the 19th District; his residence is in Dover Plains, NY.