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.
Germantown is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 37,348 at the 2000 census. Germantown is a suburb of Memphis, Tennessee. Bordering Memphis to the east, Germantown's economy is dominated by the retail and commercial service sectors. There is no heavy industry in Germantown. In the city center is the "Old Germantown" neighborhood, anchored by a railroad depot (a 1948 reproduction of the 1868 original) and railroad tracks that recall the community's earliest days of development as an outpost along the Memphis and Charleston Railroad. Germantown, and areas around it, are dotted with larger horse farms, and smaller barns housing just a few horses. The City hosts many horse shows and competitions annually, most notably the Germantown Charity Horse Show in June. Other major annual events include the Germantown Festival, an arts and crafts fair, in early September. Germantown is known for having some of the most restrictive sign ordinances in the country as well as excellent police and fire services. On November 27, 1994 a strong F3 tornado tore through eastern portions of Germantown resulting in three fatalities in one home where several families had gathered for a reunion.