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.
Elizabeth City is a city in Pasquotank County and Camden County in the State of North Carolina. With a population of 17,188 at the 2000 census, Elizabeth City is the county seat of Pasquotank County. Because Elizabeth City boasts a high degree of economic integration with its neighboring counties, and the majority of the population in Camden, Pasquotank, and Perquimans County is concentrated in this city, Elizabeth City has been designated as the heart of the Elizabeth City Micropolitan Statistical Area, with a population of 57,267 as of 2004. Because the area outside this city is sparsely populated, however, Elizabeth City only shares a border with one town—the consolidated city-county of Camden. The largest city in the Elizabeth City uSA, this town is not only the economic center of this region, but it is also home to many historical sites and cultural traditions. Known as the “Harbor of Hospitality", Elizabeth City has had a long history of shipping due to its location at the narrowing of the Pasquotank River. Founded in 1794, Elizabeth City prospered early on from the Dismal Swamp Canal as a mercantile city, before later shifting later into a varied industrial and commercial focus. While Elizabeth City still retains its extensive waterfront property, it is thoroughly linked to neighboring counties and cities by interstate highways and bridges and serves as the site of a US Coast Guard Base. The city has also been cited as one of "The 100 Best Small Towns in America" by author Norman Crampton.