Business Link

KIM’S CATCH OF THE DAY: A BOATLOAD OF DEBT COLLECTORS

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Here's the catch: Debt collectors are in business to reel in profits from their business clients, from debtors, and sometimes from both. Sometimes clients pay and pay but get nothing but excuses and runarounds, and debtors--even those who owe nothing--get hounded and harassed. Those indebted, whether really or only supposedly so, seem to be squeezed onto a sinking ship, while those who have high hopes of getting the pay they've earned through a collection agency come to feel like...Read More

HOW TO DEFUSE A NEGATIVE REVIEW

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Has one of your customers posted a TrustLink review about your business that's less complimentary than you'd like it to be? We gave you some tips for turning negative reviews around a few months ago, but here's one simple way that can be an easy and almost instant way to solve a review problem:

Apologize. That's it.

Why does it work? The answer seems to be that we humans want to forgive, and it's the apology that triggers that desire in us.

Research published in ...Read More

CORPORATE MINUTES THREATS STILL SNAG BUSINESSES

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Years ago [Business Link, January 2005] we wrote about Corporate Compliance Recorder, a company that sent out what appeared to be government mailings but what were really only solicitations, informing businesses of the California Corporations Code's requirements relating to corporate minutes and the consequences of not complying with them. The company could collect a minimum of $125 if the recipient accepted its offer to prepare company minutes ...Read More

CORRECTION

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

In the November Business Link article entitled “A Sure Way to Become an Award-Winning Business,” we listed “Talk of the Town Awards” as another name by which US Commerce Association does business.

We have since learned that that company has no affiliation with US Commerce Association. We regret any inconvenience this error may have caused Talk of t...Read More

CELL PHONE PURCHASERS: YOU MAY PAY MORE SALES TAX THAN YOU THINK YOU SHOULD

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

If you buy something on sale at any retail store, you probably don't give a thought to the sales tax you'll pay on the item. Without thinking about it, you know you'll pay sales tax, and that, as with every other purchase you make, you'll pay a certain percentage of tax on whatever price you pay for the purchase.

That may not be true with all transactions, though. Take the case of Jessica Bower, who bought a cell phone from AT&T in January 2009. She paid $199 for a phone regularly ...Read More

A SURE WAY TO BECOME AN AWARD-WINNING BUSINESS

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

If you're under the time-worn impression that it takes years of hard work to become a success in business, think again. US Commerce Association (USCA) can make you an award-winning business overnight--or at least as close to overnight as it can get the plaque that proves you've won an award to you.

The Better Business Bureau doesn't have a great deal of information about US Commerce Association, which also does business as Small Business Commerce Association. In fact, par...Read More

KIM’S CATCH OF THE DAY: PENNY AUCTIONS

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Here's the catch: Consumers sign up to bid on items sold on online auction sites at claimed savings of as much as 98 percent. Those who do lose money to previously undisclosed fees, “free” bids, merchandise won but never received, and more. Even if you don't count time and frustration, their losses can more than offset what they're supposed to save. Victims of the auction block, they see their money going, going, gone, leaving them losers, rather than winners, and decidedly bitter bidders. ...Read More

HOLIDAY WISHES TO OUR ACCREDITED BUSINESSES

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Whatever observances or celebrations lie ahead for you as we enter the season of holidays, we, at the Better Business Bureau, wish you fulfillment in your experience of them.

For most businesses, 2011 has been another in a series of less-than-remarkable business years, and we celebrate with you that even though customers may not always be beating your doors down, those doors are still open and welcoming.

We're working all year to help you make your business a thriving success....Read More

USE TRUSTLINK TO ENHANCE YOUR FACEBOOK PAGE

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Want to make a better impression on your business Facebook page? You can do it by using the TrustLink splash page we've created for businesses on Facebook. Indeed, if your business doesn't have a Facebook welcome page, your TrustLink splash page can give you one right now!

Here's how it works: Your splash page replicates the information on your TrustLink storefront, including photos, information about your business, your BBB rating, any special deals and coupons you want to offer, and ...Read More

CORRECTION to article "Easy-to-Swallow Debt Relief Pill Carries Bitter Side Effects"

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

CORRECTION

In the September Business Link article entitled “Easy-to-Swallow Debt Relief Pill Carries Bitter Side Effects,” we erroneously stated that Walter Ledda, founder of Morgan Drexen, did not respond to the Better Business Bureau's request for substantiation of Morgan Drexen's ad...Read More

TRUSTLINK CUSTOMER REVIEWS OFFER ADDED BENEFITS

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

We can't stress enough that the public relies on reviews in their purchasing decisions. In our last issue, we gave you some tips on managing and using customer reviews to enhance your TrustLink storefront. Here are a couple more ways customer reviews can benefit you:

Consider, for example, the power of positive customer reviews. A good review is the equivalent of a word-of-mouth recommendation, and there's general agreement that the most effective advertising is a favorable recommenda...Read More

KIM'S CATCH OF THE DAY: ADISON HIGH SCHOOL

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Here's the catch: Adison High School promises an easy high school diploma to those of any age who need or want one for a variety of reasons. Getting one isn't time-consuming or particularly expensive--until, that is, the recipients learn that their diploma is worthless, the time and money they've expended has been for nothing, and they can get back neither the time nor the money. An expensive lesson, they'd all agree, only to learn that they should have done their homework before they enrolle...Read More

EASY-TO-SWALLOW DEBT RELIEF PILL CARRIES BITTER SIDE EFFECTS

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

“I'm only 21 . . . I was facing bankruptcy,” says Ashley Miller. “They promised me I'd be completely debt free within two or three years. They promised me there was an attorney fighting my case. They assured me they do this for thousands and thousands of people each year. I'm in a horrible situation, and this sounds like too good to be true. It seemed like this was the way out.”

That was then. And now, several months later, things aren't much different for the Philpot, Kentucky, reside...Read More

SEMINARS FOR SALE--OR JAIL?

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

You shouldn't have to check with the Better Business Bureau about a company your County district attorney contracts with, now should you? It's not as though you have more than a minuscule amount of choice in whether you deal with them or not anyway, assuming you ever even reach the point of choice in the first place.
But several hundred thousand consumers who had written bad checks and who allege they were charged illegal fees by American Corrective Counseling Services, Inc. (ACCS), of San...Read More

KIM’S CATCH OF THE DAY: PLATINUM ONLINE GROUP

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Here's the catch: Platinum Online Group is one of a number of companies that responds to online requests for payday loans. Borrowers deal with a confusing array of companies and end up with a credit card they didn't want, with bank debits and overdraft fees they didn't want or anticipate, and without the only thing they did want: the loan. How a loan application leads to a useless credit card is a convoluted process that leaves loan applicants perplexed, poorer and peeved.
A Seattle ...Read More

BUSINESSES: DON’T IGNORE THE TRUSTLINK CUSTOMER REVIEW TOOLS

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

It's well known that a glowing customer review is going to reap more business for you. But that doesn't necessarily mean that a negative review is going to cost you business. It's all in how you use it.
To be sure, a compliment about your business or a gripe against it is going to be noted by thousands or millions of Internet viewers and is something that will influence a prospective customer for or against you. So, while the compliment endorses you without any further comment, you can sti...Read More

TrustLink Coupons Attract Customer Attention

Tue, 24 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Still another feature accredited businesses can offer customers from their business storefront is a coupon or choice of coupons to use toward the company's merchandise or services--no scissors required!

You can create and edit coupons by logging into TrustLink and clicking “Manage Coupons” under the dashboard panel.

You can display up to five coupons, and each may ...Read More

BUREAU PRESIDENT RETIRES; LONG-TIME BOARD MEMBER TO TAKE OVER

Fri, 13 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Bill Mitchell, Better Business Bureau President for the past 28 years, has stepped down from his presidential post and into the realm of the retired. He is succeeded by Vince Gottuso, who, as a member of the Board of Directors for many years, is well acquainted with and a strong supporter of the Bureau.

A graduate of Pacific Coast Graduate School of Banking at the University of Washington, Vince has devoted 17 years of his career to Citizens Business Bank, a top-rated business bank w...Read More

KIM’S CATCH OF THE DAY: MEREDIAN FINANCIAL CORPORATION

Fri, 13 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Here's the catch: Meredian Financial Corporation pitches refinancing at lower interest rates and collects fees of from several hundred to several thousand dollars upfront for what they promise to do. For a variety of reasons, though, refinancing is not completed and Meredian pockets the advance fees, locking customers out of their promised lock-in rates and into their no-refund policy.

Meredian Financial Corporation, of Costa Mesa, contacts at least some of its target customers by te...Read More

KIMKINS ORDERED TO PAY $2 MILLION JUDGMENT

Fri, 13 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Riverside Superior Court has ordered Heidi “Kimmer” Diaz, owner of Kimkins, to pay $1,824,210 in damages as restitution to those who paid subscription fees to her diet plan and participated in a class action lawsuit against her company in October 2007. The court also awarded punitive damages of $500,000.

Diaz started a website in 2006, on which she posted photos of herself before and after she ...Read More

JOB OPPORTUNITIES, GRANT MONEY OFFERS LEAD NOWHERE

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Those who consider themselves hard-working, industrious, conscientious workers--everything an employer could want in an employee--are finding themselves facing the same brick wall of joblessness as thousands of others. Like those thousands of others, many of them eventually resort to grasping at the straws of jobs or applying for grants that give them the hope of bringing in at least some income.

Other, less reputable, entrepreneurs, though, who want something for nothing, find succes...Read More

FTC, LOW PAY, INC. SETTLE CHARGES

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Low Pay, Inc. [Business Link, March 2009] has agreed to a settlement of Federal Trade Commission charges made in October 2009. The FTC alleged that Low Pay, which had marketed a credit card that could only be used to buy products from its own catalog, falsely claimed that the card could be used to finance purchases, would provide access to a no-fee, low-cost, or guaranteed cash advance benefit or unsecured line of credit, and that consumers coul...Read More

KIM’S CATCH OF THE DAY: AMERICAN RECOVERY BUREAU

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Here's the catch: American Recovery Bureau telemarkets to solicit opportunities to collect debts for businesses. Once hired, though, the businesses who hire them find themselves victims of failed phone calls to, and fee sprees on the part of, ARB, plus resultant debt lag for themselves. They become collectors of lost time and ARB's excuses, and they soon doubt both the debt collector and their own wisdom in hiring it.

Businesses pay ARB, of Los Angeles, sizeable fees once they've turn...Read More

USE TRUSTLINK AND THE BBB TO MAXIMIZE YOUR INTERNET ADVERTISING AND WEB PRESENCE

Mon, 07 Mar 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Recent research shows that 69 percent of consumers are more likely to use a local business if the company provides information on social media sites. You can use that inclination to your advantage when you use TrustLink, the Southland Bureau's popular social networking site, to promote your business. TrustLink's BBB affiliation gives it instant credence and national search engine power.

Fu...Read More

KIM'S CATCH OF THE DAY: ESCAPE TO PARADISE

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Here's the Catch: Escape to Paradise pitches the promise of escape from timeshare ownership with a healthy wad of profit to pocket. As time passes, escape routes are blocked and the vision of a timeshare sold seems unattainable. Paradise pales, hope fades, and timeshare owners end up wanting to escape from the advertised paradise, willing to settle for getting back only what they paid to have their timeshare sold. Even that escapes them, though....Read More

A CRASH COURSE IN CREDIT CARD CAUTION

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Credit card holders who add and allow additional parties to sign on their credit card accounts can put themselves at extreme risk by doing so. David Kayatta learned that the hard way:

Kayatta added two other signatories to his American Express business credit card, which were issued additional credit cards on Kayatta's account. Though he paid the entire balance of the charges he, personally, made each month, American Express filed suit against him in June 2008 for because of unpaid ch...Read More

NEW LAWS FOR 2011

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Here are some of the laws that became effective January 1:

Towing and Storage: Automobile owners whose cars are towed have a few more rights than they did last year. First, in the storage facility's office area must be posted, in plain view of the public, the Towing Fees and Access Notice (which will give you a good deal of information about how much towing companies are allowed to charge, your rights if your vehicle is towed, what happens if your vehicle is damaged during towi...Read More

NEW TRUSTLINK “ABOUT US” ENHANCEMENT OFFERS MORE BUSINESS CUSTOMIZATION

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 00:00:00 GMT

TrustLink newest enhancement is an “About Us” section that you can use to distinguish your business and set it apart from those of your competitors. Maybe you’re a house painter, for example. You can tell your readers and viewers how you take extra care to prepare the surface for a paint job that will look better and last longer. You’re an accountant? Maybe you’ll want to let prospective clients know where you got your degree, how many years’ experience you have and with what firms, and what kin...Read More

KAPLAN TAKES AIM AT THE PRINCETON REVIEW’S TEST PREPARATION CLAIMS

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Students seeking help preparing for advanced education admission tests may benefit from the National Advertising Division's opinion in the challenge of one test preparation company's claims by another. More enlightening, perhaps, are the challenged claims and the issues they present.

The Princeton Review (“TPR”) and Kaplan, Inc. (“Kaplan”) both provide test preparation courses for college (SAT), medical school (MCAT), law school (LSAT), graduate management school (GMAT), and graduate r...Read More

KIM’S CATCH OF THE DAY: MARS SUBSCRIBER

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Here's the catch: MARS (Media Automation Research Services) Subscriber, of Santa Monica, sells magazine subscriptions and renewals, often, or perhaps always, by phone, and often offering some additional promotion (free gas or groceries, for example) to make the offer more attractive. Subscribers, though, rarely or never get what they paid for. And though their complaints about their experiences are as varied as the kinds of magazines MARS sells, they soon find that beneath the glossy covers a...Read More

TAX LADY SLAPPED WITH $34 MILLION LAWSUIT

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

It may sound ironic that attorney Roni Deutch, perhaps better known as the “Tax Lady,” who fights the IRS on behalf of some of the country's residents who are least able to pay their federal taxes, has been sued by the California Attorney General.

Deutch's North Highlands professional tax firm is now 160-attorneys strong (not to mention the approximately 45 full-time employees who advertise and market its services), and its practice is limited to resolution of taxpayers' IRS liability....Read More

SEASON’S GREETINGS TO OUR MEMBERS

Mon, 08 Nov 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The time of year we traditionally refer to as the “holiday season” is upon us. It’s a time when we want to say thanks to those who have supported us throughout the year and made that year better for us in some way.

The shadow of the recession reigns over all of us still, and as we continue to offer our members tools to increase their exposure to the public and attract customers, our members continue to support us in these efforts. We thank you for your membership and support, and we wish y...Read More

FORECLOSURES PURCHASER STONEWALLS INVESTORS

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Real estate investments in general in a down market and investing specifically in real estate foreclosures might seem to be obviously smart moves for those who have the means and who want to make a profit or, perhaps better yet, ensure a comfortable retirement. Indeed, on its website, Stone Equity Group (SEG), which states that its mission is to “Erase Retirement Poverty,” points out that only 5 percent of Americans ...Read More

USE TRUSTLINK TO MAGNIFY YOUR COMPANY’S INTERNET SEARCH RESULTS

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Did you know that Google loves TrustLink? (TrustLink is also the object of affection for other search engines, but Google's the most popular kid on the track.)

Google's esteem for TrustLink is evidenced by its organic search result placement of TrustLink storefronts (that would be your storefront). That is, the storefronts place very high in the search results. In the example below, placem...Read More

KIM'S CATCH OF THE DAY: CASH 4 CARS

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Here's the catch: Cash 4 Cars Wholesalers holds out hope for people who can't afford to keep up their car payments—at least temporarily—and also for those who are looking for a not-too-costly investment opportunity. But investors risk losing both investment and return, and car owners risk losing their vehicle. Altogether the chances of profit would seemingly favor any cash for any car as landing squarely and permanently in the coffers of Cash 4 Cars.

Cash 4 Cars Wholesalers, formerly ...Read More

ONLINE LEAD GENERATION IS HERE!

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Front page placement on internet search engines such as Google and Yahoo is rapidly replacing heavy paper phone books for people looking for local businesses they can trust. To help our Accredited Businesses take advantage of this burgeoning trend, the Better Business Bureau has launched our search engine marketing program so that anyone seeking a particular category of local business (“Movers” in the San Fernando Valley, for example) will reach a directory of member businesses in geographic ...Read More

CAR LOAN MODIFICATION OFFERS LEAD TO A DEAD END

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

First it was home mortgage loan modifications; now it's auto loan and lease modifications. As tempting as it may be to succumb to an offer to lower your monthly car payment by “as much as 50%,” you should think twice about it.

Auto loan modifications are advertised on websites and perhaps through other media as well. The Better Business Bureau has few such companies in our data base so far, and relatively few consumer complaints.

Why, then, should we caution you about them? Beca...Read More

NEW FTC RULE ENSURES THAT FREE CREDIT REPORTS ARE FREE

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

For several years now, consumers have had the opportunity to obtain a copy of their credit report annually without charge. Sometimes, though, ads offering free credit reports lead consumers to believe that they can order one from that particular website. Often such offers only seem to be free. Those who order from these companies later find that they're subject to unexpected charges such as for credit monitoring or other products or services.

To alleviate some of the confusion in free ...Read More

KIM’S CATCH OF THE DAY: SUPERIOR GOLD GROUP, LLC

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Here's the catch: Superior Gold Group sells precious metals, pockets the proceeds, and almost never delivers the product. Losses are sizeable and not often recouped. Investors' futures are left in doubt, but investors themselves are left without doubt that they've become victims of reverse alchemy: their gold investment has turned into lead.

Superior Gold Group (SGG), of Santa Monica, F-rated with the Better Business Bureau, sells gold, silver, platinum, and palladium. They have a web...Read More

UNLICENSED CONTRACTORS HAVE MUCH TO LOSE

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

A recent appellate court decision cost one landscaping contractor a money tree. Seems a homeowner paid a landscaper just over $57,000 over a period of five months to do landscaping work at his home. At that point, he stopped paying and later sued the contractor to recover the entire amount. Why? Because, for at least part of those five months, the contractor was not licensed.

In this case, even though the landscaper fought to retain the money he received while he was licensed, the cour...Read More

UNIFORM RENTALS CAN BE LONG-TERM RELATIONSHIPS

Tue, 04 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Julio Velazquez probably had no idea, when he signed what he thought was a five-year uniform rental contract, that 13 years later he'd still be paying and his contract would still have two years to run. And our guess is that after those two years have passed, if Domestic Uniform Rentals has its way, he'll still be counting the years to when he'll be free.

How could something like this happen? While other complainants tell similar stories, Velazquez's begins back in 1997, when h...Read More

KIM’S CATCH OF THE DAY: ALAN BRENT PHOTOGRAPHY

Tue, 04 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Here's the catch: Alan Brent Photography takes orders for wedding photography, takes payment in advance, takes the pictures, and, in the end, takes the client. At costs of several thousands of dollars, brides and grooms, still waiting years after the honeymoon is over, are left with no print memories of their nuptials and plenty of negatives in their opinion of Alan Brent.

When you spend the time and money many couples do to make their wedding memorable, the album of photos of the eve...Read More

LOAN MODIFICATION LAWYER ARRESTED

Tue, 04 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The California Bar Association recently reported that attorney Christopher Lee Diener was the first lawyer to be arrested in connection with loan modification activities. Diener was charged, in February, with more than 100 felonies.

Operating under the names of Diener Law Firm, Diener Law Group, Home Relief Services, US Loan Mod Processing, and HRS Communications, Diener reportedly defrauded clients of $1.25 million and caused another $350,000 in losses to credit card companies who re...Read More

CSLB OFFERS SWIMMING POOL CONSTRUCTION BROCHURE

Tue, 04 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Before You Dive In—A Consumer Guide to Swimming Pool Construction is available from the Contractors State License Board for consumers and for Bureau members in the pool and spa industry. Access it on the CSLB website, www.cslb.ca.gov/publications, or Bureau members way use the online order form to order a supply to make available to prospective clients....Read More

MANAGE YOUR SOCIAL NETWORKS WITH US

Tue, 04 May 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Earlier this year we announced that you now have the ability to embed links to your social networks from your company's BBB Reliability Report. We have automated linking to the following popular sites: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, MySpace, and LinkedIn. All of these connections enhance and expand your presence on the internet.

Here's a refresher on how to proceed:

The first thing you need to do is to create a login on our ...Read More

KIM'S CATCH OF THE DAY: BITE-SIZE DEALS, LLC

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Here's the catch: Bite-Size Deals attracts customers from the United Kingdom, at least partly because it appears to be a U.K. company. Customers learn, after they've ordered, that the company does business from the United States (Pasadena) with customers from the U.S. as well as the U.K., and they encounter problems because of both its location and its business practices. Whatever the source of the problems, they feel they're the ones who've felt the bite.

Bite-Size Deals sells produc...Read More

SHELLING OUT TO BECOME HOMELESS

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Any family, of the multitudes who have been displaced because of the mortgage meltdown--or, for that matter, almost anyone who needs to find a home for any reason--may look to prepaid rental listing services as the quickest and simplest solution to their need. And at least some of them may later realize that doing that was a mistake.

Prepaid rental listing services, or “PPRLS,” offer, for a fee, to provide you listings of available properties that meet your specifications as to locat...Read More

WHAT HAPPENS TO WAYWARD PREPAID RENTAL LISTING SERVICES?

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Those operating PPRLS are required to be licensed unless already licensed as a real estate broker, but licensing is not a guarantee of satisfaction. Indeed, Golden State Rentals was licensed during the time most of our complaints were received.

What happens to PPRLS licensees who violate California real estate law, as Golden State did? According to Department of Real estate (DRE) spokesman Tom Pool, the DRE revokes their license. In this case, Golden State's licensee voluntarily surr...Read More

A MESSAGE TO OUR ACCREDITED BUSINESS COMMUNITY FROM WILLIAM G. MITCHELL, PRESIDENT/CEO

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

In an economy like we've had in the past two years, everyone watches their spending, and being accredited with the Better Business Bureau is more important than ever. We, at the Better Business Bureau, are always on the lookout for more tools that will leverage your association with the BBB.

Here are some of the tools you can use now to enhance your business profitability despite the stubborn economy:

Our Business Reliability Reports can now embed links from your company's Fa...Read More

A WORD ABOUT INQUIRY AND COMPLAINT STATISTICS

Fri, 05 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Report requests and complaints filed with the Bureau climbed to new heights this year. For calendar year 2009, we issued 4,329,498 company reports and processed 111,974 complaints. At the end of January, halfway through our fiscal year, requests for reports totaled 3,127,719, which projects record numbers of requests for calendar 2010.

With statistics like these, we're undoubtedly getting inquiries about your business. As an accredited business, you're already head and shoulders above...Read More

BUREAU ANNOUNCES 2009 PLUTO AWARDS RECIPIENTS

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

The Better Business Bureau of the Southland has announced the 10 southland businesses chosen to receive its not-so-coveted annual Pluto Awards. Appropriately named for the mythological Roman god of the underworld, the Pluto Awards recognize and expose companies that use underhanded business practices and ambiguous advertising to augment their riches and defraud the American public of billions of dollars each year.

Here are the 2009 recipients, where they're located, and the number of ...Read More

FIRE PROTECTION SERVICERS UNDER FIRE

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

An investigation by the Contractors' State License Board led to the arrest, last June, of two men affiliated with American Fire Services, Inc., which does business as American Fire Protection. Charges against the two were several, including those of providing substandard and faulty fire protection systems. They were also thought to have been using high-pressure sales tactics and deceptive methods, often directed toward minority and immigrant businesses, to sell their services....Read More

CONTRACTOR LEADS CAN BE COSTLY

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Leads for any kind of sales can be hard to come by, and businesses that pay for them can be disappointed with what they get for their money.

One such company, Bureau member Classic Home Improvement Products, Inc., of Anaheim Hills, whose business is home improvements for door and window coverings, contacted EveryContractor.com for leads after they opened a satellite office in Las Vegas. “We've used this kind of business in the past, and it's been great,” says Classic's Sales Manager Ta...Read More

KIM'S CATCH OF THE DAY: SugarDaddyForMe.com

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Here's the catch: SugarDaddyForMe.com holds out, for women, the promise of finding a rich man to provide for them and, for men, the promise of finding someone they'll love to pamper. Most who complain to the Bureau cancel almost immediately after they sign on, but when they're charged for services anyway, they find the Sugar Daddy trap more sticky than sweet.

SugarDaddyForMe sells romance with, from all implications, prospects who have a Dom Perignon pocketbook and will freely pour out...Read More

DID JUSTICE GO WILD WITH GIRLS GONE WILD?

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

We've kept you informed about Mantra Productions' Girls Gone Wild program off and on since our first article about it in the May 2003 Business Link. Readers will remember that infomercials offered videos with spring break, on-campus, Mardi Gras, and the like, themes, for $9.99 plus shipping and handling. Only later, when they received unsolicited videos, did buyers learn they'd been enrolled in a negative option program, through which they'd rec...Read More

MY TOP 5 TRUSTLINK RESOLUTIONS FOR 2010

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

I resolve to…

1. Optimize my free Business Storefront by adding details about my products, services and hours of business

2. Nag my customers to post complimentary reviews then download the “review widget” to my own website

3. Upload some photos so they can see I'm for real and view my great products

4. Display an ad or coupon or a link to my Facebook page

5. Enjoy the new customers that come my way

Taking advantage of TrustLink is easier than ever – ...Read More

KIM'S CATCH OF THE DAY: CLEAN DRY USA

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Here's the catch: Clean Dry USA offers carpet cleaning at low, attractive prices, with satisfaction guaranteed, then ups the ante. Customers find the work quality low, the prices high, and satisfaction nonexistent. In the end, they feel truly “taken to the cleaners.”

Clean Dry USA, of Woodland Hills, runs ads in advertising circulars, offering to clean three rooms for $49.95 and five rooms for $89.95. The fine print on the coupon you are to clip qualifies those prices by limiting the s...Read More

THE CASE OF THE DUPLICITOUS DEBT COLLECTOR

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

With business profits elusive in the present economy, at least one debt collector may have become a bit more creative in his pursuit of them. And one woman, a debtor, who probably perceives the debt collector as more miscreant than creative, is fighting back.

But like a mystery with subplots unfolding, there's more here than meets the eye. As reported by the Los Angeles Daily Journal, the defendant, a Temple City resident who allegedly ...Read More

THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU’S NEXT ATTRACTION: ONLINE LEAD GENERATION

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Front page placement on internet search engines such as Google and Yahoo is rapidly replacing heavy paper phone books for people looking for local businesses they can trust. To help our members take advantage of this burgeoning trend, the Better Business Bureau will soon be deploying search engine marketing campaigns so that anyone seeking a particular category of local business (Plumbers in the Inland Empire, for example) will reach a directory of member businesses in their local area. Here'...Read More

HOLIDAY WISHES TO OUR MEMBERS

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

When folks mention that the holidays are just around the corner, they often comment that it seems like only a short time since they were last here.

If your business has felt the effects of the recession, we hope the past year has gone by quickly for you. And if what we're told about the already improving, less blustery, economic climate is true, we can all look forward to a better year in 2010.

We're constantly working to make your business life better, and our only New Year'...Read More

PAYDAY BORROWERS GET HIT AGAIN

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

If there's one truism about people falling upon hard times, it's that there are other people ready and willing to make their times even harder in order to reap a profit for themselves.

Take the case of payday borrowers, who have to be in pretty dire straits to resort to a payday loan in the first place. Though payday lenders in general tend to generate complaints to the Bureau, many (at least 80 to date, most since early May) payday borrowers are complaining about Crime Monitoring Div...Read More

KIM’S CATCH OF THE DAY: DREAM SCHOLARS FOUNDATION

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Here's the catch: Dream Scholars Foundation (DSF), of Temecula, telemarkets SAT/ACT/PSAT preparation software for a $155 “donation.” Those who buy the software encounter problems more difficult to solve than any on the tests themselves, and both their pocketbooks and tempers come out sorely tested in the process. They undoubtedly give DSF an “F” grade, as we do.

Dream Scholars Foundation, known until early this year as Scholarship Fund America (SFA), telemarkets parents of students so...Read More

THE CENSUS-TAKER SCAM

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

You probably know the census drill by now: you fill out and mail back the form or someone calls on you at your home (at least if you repeatedly ignore requests for written information) to ask you questions about yourself and your family. But do you know where to draw the line in answering their questions?

It's important that you do, because scam artists aren't going to miss an opportunity to enrich themselves at your expense.

So if you're asked such questions as your name, age...Read More

MAKE THE MOST OF OUR ENHANCED REPORTS

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

During these challenging economic times, consumers are spending their money with care and relying more than ever on the Bureau's Reliability Reports to help them decide where to spend their money. Companies are also looking for effective and economical ways in which to advertise. Our improved Reliability Reports are filling the needs of both businesses and consumers alike.

Now when a consumer checks out your business it will be easier for them to find out more about your company becau...Read More

TRUSTLINK’S APPEAL CONTINUES TO GROW

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Did June's skyrocket catch your eye, as it did ours? We're talking about the 575,700 reliability reports we gave out during June – a record 73-plus percent increase over May!

Why? Possibly because consumers look even more to the Bureau's reliability reports when the economy is stagnant and mon proven to be true in past economic downturns.

Or possibly because scams continue to proliferate according to what's happening in the marketplace and how consumers can best be taken advan...Read More

KIM'S CATCH OF THE DAY: 200CASH.com

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Here's the catch: 200cash.com's loans may seem like a godsend to those who have no other source of a few dollars to smooth out the road to payday. But that bumpy road becomes a high-speed feeway for borrowers who anticipate loan proceeds and instead get stung with application fees, other unexpected fees, and bank charges for overdrafts. What they never get are loan proceeds or communication from the company.

For the company, reaping fees from their customers, every day is payday. ...Read More

IVORY COAST GETS INTO THE INTRIGUE ACT

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Bureau President Bill Mitchell is one lucky man. Just this morning, he received an email from Emma Kanga, from Abidjan (known as the Paris of West Africa), Cote d’ Ivoire, Africa.

Addressing him as “Dearest one,” the 20-year-old Miss Kanga tells of the torture and murder of her parents for supporting the Zimbabwe Movement for Democratic Change against President Mugabe. She tells of running away (presumably grabbing her laptop on her way out) to an asylum camp in Cote d’ Ivoire. An...Read More

BUSINESS FURNITURE MIMICS NEW CLOTHES FOR THE EMPEROR

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

If it’s generally accepted as true that you get what you pay for, at least some customers of International Business Interiors know that that’s not always true. The San Diego furniture company, which has done business under at least six other names and at least two San Diego locations, has been the subject of five complaints to the Southland Bureau about office furniture ordered and at least partially paid for, but never received.

From these complaints, it would seem that IBI make...Read More

TRUSTLINK’S APPEAL CONTINUES TO GROW

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 GMT

First launched in June 2008, TrustLink has attracted registrations, business “storefronts,” and users, all of which have increased not by hundreds of percentage points, but by thousands. Here are the impressive statistics: As of the end of March this year, upwards of 9,300 registrations (an increase of 3,221 percent over those as of October 31, 2008) have been submitted; almost 1,400 business storefronts (an increase of 4,937 percent over those in October) have been started up; and just unde...Read More

TRUSTLINK’S T-QUOTE: ANOTHER SOURCE OF BUSINESS

Fri, 01 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Accredited businesses may be overlooking a source of customers made available through TrustLink. If you’re an accredited business with your email address on file with us, you can sit back and wait for at least some of your business to come to you.

Here’s how it works: When consumers need a product or service and want to find a trustworthy business to fill their need, they complete a simple online form that’s automatically emailed to all BBB-accredited businesses in matching categor...Read More

KIM’S CATCH OF THE DAY: TANMAN

Fri, 01 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Here’s the catch: Whether you want a summer or a year-round tan, TanMan offers various tanning methods at various costs. When clients sign up, they get unexpected surprises, and when they try to cancel they get still more surprises. They may be tan, but they’re also burned.

TanMan Tanning, of Los Angeles, attracts customers year around, mostly women and mostly from the Los Angeles area. From complaints, it would seem that they distribute at least some flyers, but their website a...Read More

HERE ARE THE LATEST SPECIAL REPORTS

Fri, 01 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Two reports relating to foreclosures, Foreclosure Frauds and Fixes and Home Equity Purchasers and Foreclosure Consultants, now contain important information about loan modifications offered by licensed real estate brokers and attorneys and some of the pitfalls of dealing, especially, wi...Read More

GOTCHA! TONER PHONERS BAIT, HOOK AND REEL IN UNWARY BUSINESSES

Fri, 01 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Name one business that isn’t trying to economize, if not struggling just to keep its head above water, these days. For all their effort to keep costs down, some of these businesses find it’s all for naught when someone comes along and offers them good deals for less money and then gouges them with exorbitant prices and shoddy products.

Enter two such villains: Reliable Printing Solutions, Inc., and Century Co...Read More

DON'T WAIT TO REDEEM GIFT CARDS

Fri, 01 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

If you’re holding a gift card from one of today’s financially distressed retailers, you might want to step up your efforts to redeem it. Otherwise, you risk losing its value altogether.

When a business files Chapter 7 bankruptcy, closing its doors and liquidating its business, you’re likely going to lose the amount of the card. And in a Chapter 11 filing, where the company seeks to reorganize its business, restructure its debt, and continue in business, the debt the store owes you ...Read More

KIM’S CATCH OF THE DAY: LOW PAY, INC.

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Here's the catch: Low Pay, Inc. offers a credit line that attracts those who need it most. But those who sign up, and even those who don't, get gouged with fees they say they neither authorized nor anticipated. Customers' bank balances drop, the company's customer service disappears, and complainants feel they've paid a high price for Low Pay.

Low Pay, Inc., or LPC, calls itself "one of the fastest growing membership-based consumer benefits, finance and marketing companies." According...Read More

JOB SCAMS ADD TO OUT-OF WORK WOES

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Think of it as making lemons out of lemonade or a sow’s ear from a silk purse. It’s a sort of reverse creativity sparked by hard economic times, and it hits hardest those who are jobless and who want and need work.

Here are a couple of companies now using their creativity to attract and victimize job seekers:

Outsourcing Technology, of Garden Grove, advertises in newspapers’ classified ads, offering work at home. Also known as ...Read More

WHAT'S IN YOUR PROFILE?

Fri, 13 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Everything. Or at least, it should be.

If you haven't taken full advantage of your online profile opportunity yet, you're missing out on free advertising.

Here's a reminder of some of the things you can add to your business profile:

Photos of your business, your personnel, yourself
Products
Prices
Special offers and promotions
Discounts
Your location, how to get there, days and hours of operation
Informati...Read More

NEW LAWS FOR 2009

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Here are some of the laws that become effective this year:

Text Messaging while Driving: Beginning July 2008, drivers were prohibited from talking on a cell phone while driving unless using a hands-free means of doing it. Now, you are also prohibited from reading, writing, or sending a text message, instant message, or electronic mail while driving. You may, though, read, select, or enter a phone number or name in an electronic wireless communications device for the purpose of ma...Read More

KIM'S CATCH OF THE DAY: MAAK ENTERPRISES

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Here's the catch: Pet owners buy MAAK Enterprise's cat and dog products online. But when they receive nothing, whether nothing comes or whether it comes in a box, they realize they've got a bone to pick and a reason to growl.

MAAK Industries sells pet merchandise, including flea and tick control products, often in 6- and 12-month supplies, vitamins, leashes, toys for dogs and cats, etc. Their website advertises free shipping worldwide and other discounts, such as an additional 15 percent ...Read More

CHECK RUSE IS STILL BAD NEWS

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

The $9.25 check Bureau President Bill Mitchell received in the mail last week was nothing new. The amount may have been different from others of its kind, it was sent out by a different company, and the product he'd be buying when he cashed it was different. But otherwise it's the same, tired plan, like the same play performed again and again but by different actors and with different costumes and scenery. Here's how this one works:

Budget Car Rentals thanked Mitchell for his past patrona...Read More

MEMBERS: WE WANT TO SHOW YOU OFF

Mon, 05 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

We need photos of our members on the job to be rotated on our website's splash page. What we need is a good photo of you that gives the feeling that you've just stopped for a moment in your normal day of business. The subject (you or an employee of yours) should confidently face the camera.

If you don't have or can't get this type of photo but can send us a portrait-style photo (that is, one without a business backdrop), please do. You may email it (sorry, we're unable to use prints) to u...Read More

WATCH OUT FOR THIS WATCH SELLER

Wed, 05 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The clock was ticking for Becky Allen back in February of 2006. It was time for her to either undergo a kidney transplant or begin dialysis. She chose the transplant, and though matching requirements for a kidney transplant are not particularly stringent, the wait for a kidney can be years. In the end, she accepted a kidney from her husband, and the two of them went into the hospital, both for surgery, together. Despite minor initial complications, Becky’s recovery was smooth...Read More

KIM’S CATCH OF THE DAY: PROPERTY TAX REASSESSMENT

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Here’s the catch: Property Tax Reassessment suggests that homeowners may be eligible for reduced property taxes because of the recent decline in property values. Some 63 consumers have asked us for a report on the company. So far, we’ve received only 11 complaints. Only three of those complainants had sent any payment. I hope that by shedding some light on the company now, we can help some homeowners save some money and avoid having to complain later.

Property T...Read More

HERE ARE THE LATEST SPECIAL REPORTS

Mon, 03 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Know the Facts about Reverse Mortgages is the Better Business Bureau’s newest general information report. This report tells you what a reverse mortgage is, how it works, what you should consider before venturing into one, how to use it if you face foreclosure or bankruptcy, and more. Access it on our website, or call or write to ask us for a copy.

IN FOUL WEATHER, THE BBB IS STILL YOUR FRIEND

Sun, 02 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

When the business and economic climate goes north and gets chilly, members sometimes decide that they can’t afford their Better Business Bureau membership. They drop their membership and plan to pick it up again when business picks up.

Sadly, opting out of membership is like opting out of advertising when times are tough--just when you need it most. The consuming public feels the pinch, too, and they’re more vigilant than ever to make sure their money goes as far as it possibly c...Read More

HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO OUR MEMBERS

Sat, 01 Nov 2008 14:00:00 GMT

We won’t see much in the way of snow flurries here in the Southland, but we can already see the flurry of holidays that will be upon us almost before you finish reading this.

Whatever holidays you celebrate in the next few months, we at the Better Business Bureau send blizzards of good wishes to you in your celebration of them. Once again, we extend our sincere thanks to you for your membership and we wish you a most satisfying and rewarding 2009.

BBB MEMBERS CAN SAVE UP TO 26% ON SELECT FEDEX SHIPPING SERVICES

Sat, 01 Nov 2008 08:00:00 GMT

Your time and money are important, so we are finding ways to help you save both.

The Better Business Bureau of the Southland is proud to support our members and has teamed up with FedEx to help boost your bottom line. As a BBB member, you are now eligible to receive valuable discounts of up to 26% on select FedEx^® shipping services. Best of all, there are no costs and no minimum shipping ...Read More