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.
Steilacoom is a town in Pierce County, Washington, United States. The population was 6,049 at the 2000 census. Steilacoom is on the coast of Puget Sound, on a branch not visible on the map to the right. Steilacoom incorporated in 1854 and became the first incorporated town in what is now Washington State. Based on per capita income, one of the more reliable measures of affluence, Steilacoom ranks 61st of 522 areas in the state of Washington to be ranked. The Steilacoom School District #1 consists of Cherrydale Primary School, Saltar's Point Elementary School, Harriet Taylor Elementary School, Anderson Island School, Chloe Clark Elementary School, Pioneer Middle School, and Steilacoom High School.