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.
Bristow is an unincorporated town in Prince William County, Virginia, United States. The population was 8,910 in the 2000 census, and the 2009 estimate of 15,137. The former town proper was located on SR 619, Bristow Road, about 1 mile southwest of the intersection with SR 28, Nokesville Road, at the Norfolk Southern Railway crossing. There are no active businesses left at this location, though a crew change point for the railroad is just up the tracks from the railroad crossing. The new town center has, in general, relocated farther West around the Braemar Parkway area. Bristow is rapidly being absorbed into the expanding suburbs of the city of Manassas, including such developments as Bristow Station. The area is mostly upper-middle-class residential managed communities including but not limited to: Braemar Community, Bridlewood, Bridlewood Manor, Brookside, Crossman Creek, Foxborough, Kingsbrooke, New Bristow Village, Lanier Farms, Sheffield Manor, and Victory Lakes. The community is home to the Jiffy Lube Live outdoor concert stage which was formerly known as the Nissan Pavilion. As of 2009, Bristow, Virginia has a population of 15,137. Since 2000, the town has seen a population increase of about 89%.