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.
Sharon Springs is a village in Schoharie County, New York, United States. The population was 547 at the 2000 census, and is estimated at 525 in 2008. The name derives from the hometown of the first white settlers, Sharon, Connecticut, and the important springs in the village. Sharon Springs, Kansas is its namesake, settled by former residents of this Upstate New York village. The Village of Sharon Springs sits in the northwest part of the Town of Sharon, New York, approximately 50 miles west of Albany, the state capital. This tidy village is near some of New York State's most popular attractions. Howe Caverns is 15 miles to the south while The Mohawk River and Erie Canal are only 10 miles to the north. Cooperstown, New York, home to the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, The Farmer's Museum and The Fenimore Art Museum, is 25 miles to the west and the Catskill Park is 50 miles to the south. Sharon Springs, recognized by both the National Historic Register as well as New York State's Register of Historic Places as a historic spa village, boasts some attractions of her own. In addition to the collection of fully and partially restored 19th century American resort and residential architecture which can be enjoyed year-round, Sharon Springs also plays host to these seasonal events: the annual Tractor & Antique Power Show has been held in June since 1992; summer brings the Summer Concerts Series, which has been going strong every Wednesday night in July and August since 1994; and starting in 2009, the annual Harvest Festival is held in September.