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.
Lewiston is a village in Niagara County, New York, United States. The population was 2,781 at the 2000 census. The village is named after Morgan Lewis, a governor of New York. It is part of the Buffalo–Niagara Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area. The Village of Lewiston, NY is within the Town of Lewiston. The Earl W. Brydges Artpark State Park lies at its southern border. Tourists and visitors flock to Lewiston, primarily in the summertime, to enjoy its many festivals, fine restaurants, Artpark, and to learn about its fascinating history. Thousands enjoy taking the Whirlpool Jet Boat ride, which shoots through the Niagara River Class 5 rapids and is considered one of the top five adventure rides in North America. Lewiston is situated on the Niagara River, just across the river from Canada, and is half way between the world famous Niagara Falls and historic Fort Niagara in Youngstown, New York. Niagara Falls is about a ten minute drive to the south. Visitors from Canada can take the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge across the Niagara River. Popular summer festivals include the Outdoor Art Festival (the second weekend in August) and the Historic Lewiston Jazz Festival (the last weekend in August. The famous Kiwanis Peach Festival takes place during the second weekend of September. Several other festivals, such as the Harvest Fest, take place during the year and most are held on or near Center Street, the Village's main street . Lewiston has completed a multi-million dollar upgrade of its business district, which now boasts brick sidewalks and period lanterns. Its waterfront park is also being improved with more green space and additional parking. A new landmark hotel has just been opened near the waterfront. In close proximity to the Village of Lewiston, the towns of Lewiston and Porter host a 710-acre hazardous chemical waste landfill, the only one left in the Northeastern United States. The landfill is home to tons of radioactive material from the Manhattan Project. The Town of Lewiston, which includes the Village, has a population of more than 16,000 people. The Town Supervisor is Steven L. Reiter. The Village Mayor is William Geiben.