Consumer Law
A consumer is defined as a person or organization that purchases, uses, maintains, and disposes of products and services.  The consumer is the user of a final product.   Countries all over the world have developed laws and legislation that protect consumers from fraudulent or deceptive sales practices.  In the United States, there are a variety of consumer laws established to address fair business practices in advertising, media, credit, debt collection, and food safety. 

Consumer protections laws were established to promote fair competition and truthful information within the business world.  These laws were designed to block businesses from engaging in fraudulent or unfair business practices which give them an advantage over other competitors in the marketplace.  Consumer Protection Laws are a form of government regulation which protects consumer interests in the business transaction. 
The Consumer Protection Committee was established to monitor and report on developments in the law of false or deceptive advertising, illegal marketing, and unfair trade practices among businesses.  These developments in the law are generally the outcomes of litigation based suits against business.  The Consumer Protection Committee will publicize the outcomes of litigation and assist the public in bringing awareness to the unfair practices.

The current credit crisis has brought forth a plethora of Consumer Protection needs.  The Consumer Credit Protection Act protects employees from being fired due to wage garnishment.  This was perhaps one of the first steps in consumer law and was approved by the government in 1968.  In 1978, the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act was added as a Title VIII statute of the Consumer Credit Protection Act.  The purpose of this statute is to protect consumers from abusive practices in the collection of debts, promote an avenue for disputing debts, and obtaining validation of debt information to ensure the accuracy of the information.  The Act established guidelines by which debt collectors may conduct business, define the rights of consumers involved with debt collectors, and demonstrate remedies and penalties for violations of the Act. 

The Federal Trade Commission is the nation’s consumer protection agency.  Its purpose is to collect complaints about companies, business practices, identity theft, and episodes of violence in the media.  The FTC offers a website with practical information about a variety of consumer topics.  The information on this website can help consumers understand their rights and assist them with following through on the steps they can take if they feel their rights have been violated.