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.
Everett is the county seat of and the largest city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States. Named for Everett Colby, son of founder Charles L. Colby, it lies 25 miles (40 km) north of Seattle. The city had a total population of 91,488 at the 2000 census, making it the 6th largest in the state and fourth-largest in the Puget Sound area. Since the census, the city has continued to grow, reaching an estimated population of 103,500 in 2009. It received an All-America City Award in 2002. Everett is home to the largest public marina on the west coast of the United States and is the western terminus of the western segment of U.S. Route 2. It is also home to Boeing's assembly plant for the 747, 767, 777, and the new 787 in the largest building in the world by volume at 116.5 million cubic feet (13.3 million cubic m). In 1984, Everett was selected as the site of a U.S. Navy Homeport, Naval Station Everett. The Naval Station formally opened in 1992 and on January 8, 1997 welcomed the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln. Everett is also home to the Port of Everett, an international shipping port, that brings trade, commerce, jobs and recreational opportunities to the city.