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03/17/2010
Census forms will be arriving at every household this week, and some homes will receive two forms. It’s a massive undertaking every ten years that requires more than a million people to accurately count the hundreds of millions of people living in the U.S. Contrary to the myths, participation in the census is extremely safe and easy, and the Better Business Bureau encourages everyone to take a few minutes to fill out their census form and promptly return it when it arrives in the mail.
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03/16/2010
“Not every business is eligible for BBB Accreditation, it is an honor reserved for businesses that earn this distinction through their own ethical business practices,” said David Polino, Better Business Bureau President. “When a business loses their BBB Accreditation it is always unfortunate for everyone involved. Expulsion is an action taken by the BBB only when a business fails to uphold the BBB Standards for Trust that every company Accredited by the BBB must adhere to.”
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03/11/2010
Typically, the grandparent receives a frantic phone call from whom they are led to believe is their grandchild. A scammer, posing as their grandchild, e
xplains that he or she has gotten into trouble—often in Canada—and needs their help.
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02/24/2010
According to the IRS, 80 percent of Americans enlist help to file their taxes. However, every year the BBB receives complaints from consumers against tax preparers. Commonly, complainants state that the tax preparer made errors in their return which resulted in fines and fees.
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02/17/2010
The US Census Bureau predicts that in 2010, the number of US credit card holders will grow to 181 million. Unfortunately, almost 75 percent of cardholders admit to not reading the terms and conditions of their credit cards, according to a CreditCards.com survey. The BBB recommends that card holders read the fine print and familiarize themselves with the new provisions set out by the Credit CARD Act of 2009.
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02/09/2010
Individuals were told that they had won a lottery and that, in order to receive the prize, they must first wire money back to the scammers. In some cases, the scammers used the names of real BBB employees—directing victims to legitimate bios and profiles on BBB’s Web site—in order to bolster their ruse.
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02/02/2010
“The BBB provides each business ample time to resolve matters prior to revoking an Accreditation,” said David Polino, Better Business Bureau President. “Expulsion is always an unfortunate outcome however this action does remind consumers and business owners alike that we take our Standards for Trust very seriously and that we are committed to providing important pre-purchase information that include BBB ratings to assist individuals with their buying decisions.”
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01/28/2010
“Being a savvy consumer is ultimately about using money wisely and knowing some red flags that can tip you off to a scam. In this tough economy most of us are trying to squeeze as much value as possible out of every dollar and no one can afford to loose money,” said David Polino, Better Business Bureau President. “Creating a budget, researching businesses before you buy and learning how to stay away from scammers should be on everyone’s list this year.”
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01/21/2010
Data security threats affecting small businesses are both external and internal, but many owners fail to recognize the potential for a breach or take the necessary protection steps until it’s too late.
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01/19/2010
Job hunters can apply for jobs with the Census Bureau now; however, most hiring will take place during the spring of 2010. Census takers usually work in their own communities, going door-to-door, conducting brief interviews with households that did not return their questionnaire mailed previously.
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01/14/2010
The BBB warns consumers to watch out for these messages, and encourages anyone who receives one to:
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01/13/2010
“Whenever there is a major natural disaster, be it home or abroad, there are two things you can count on. The first is public generosity in donating time and money to help victims, and the second is the appearance of poorly run and in some cases fraudulent charities,” said David Polino, Better Business Bureau President.
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01/05/2010
“Some scams were distinct in 2009 because of the economic climate and scammers’ inclination for taking advantage of the top headlines, while other scams on the list are perennial pests,” said David Polino, Better Business Bureau President.
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