BBB Announces Changes to Aid Consumers

Better Business Bureau of Greater Maryland, Inc. is providing new innovations and resources to help consumers buy with confidence just in time for the commencement of the holiday shopping season. In addition to an updated logo, and new tagline, the 85 year old organization has launched a new Web site with a new URL, www.bbb.org. 

Previously, consumers had to know their local BBB’s Web site address in order to get Reliability Reports on companies and charities across North America, to report complaints, to find the latest details on emerging scams, and to gather tips to help make their buying decisions easier. With 128 BBBs in all, finding the right Web site for a particular city used to be a daunting task. Now, by using BBB’s centralized portal, Marylanders will be delivered to businesses in their hometown simply by entering their zip code.

According to the “Outlook for US Online Retail: Holiday 2007,” online spending this holiday season is projected to grow at a rate of 21 percent this year. The survey indicates that 11 percent of online shoppers will do 75 percent or more of their holiday spending online. The report also projects total online spending to hit a record $33 billion. 

In a press conference at McCormick & Company, Inc.’s Sparks, MD headquarters, BBB President and CEO, Angie explained, “With just a couple of extra clicks of their mouse, consumers can be sure that they are picking up that special something for someone special from a business they can trust when they go to bbb.org and select ‘check out a business or charity’.”  

Barnett announced that BBB has changed the way businesses affiliated with the organization are identified. BBB members are now BBB Accredited Businesses.

“Changing the way we identify businesses that pledge to uphold our Standards For Trust is just one of the new ways BBB is introducing itself to consumers.  BBB reviews each potential accredited business and strictly enforces its standards, rewarding only those meeting and upholding BBB Standards For Trust,” said Barnett. 

The public seems to be taking note. In a recent survey conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International on behalf of BBB, 69 percent of consumers say they would be more likely to buy from a BBB Accredited Business. In October, BBB of Greater Maryland received 48,686 inquiries about businesses in its service area.  BBB presently reports on about 50,000 Maryland businesses. These Reliability Reports currently indicate a satisfactory or unsatisfactory status and include factual information about customer experience. Reports are maintained for both BBB accredited and non-accredited companies. 

F. James McGrath, vice president of human relations for the U.S. Consumer Products Division of McCormick & Company and BBB executive committee member, noted that BBB’s mission to advance marketplace trust is one that McCormick supports. He added, “McCormick has been a part of BBB since 1940.  Like BBB, we are committed to uncompromising integrity in all that we do…”

Michael T. Smith, senior vice president, market executive-Baltimore/Bay Business Banking, Bank of America and chairman BBB board of directors, addressed BBB supporters attending the press conference stating, “In banking scams and fraud impact our industry. They impact our customers and they impact our community...Better Business Bureau has positioned itself to offer the latest information on the good guys, the bad guys and the latest scams.”

Last year, BBB remembers holiday spirits were dashed by the plague of the gift card scam.  Many unsuspecting shoppers who purchased gift cards, unwittingly gave zero-balance cards to friends and family. Scammers scratched the backs of gift cards to reveal the hidden numbers from their dangling perch on popular display kiosks.  They waited until the cards were activated to steal the credits. For information on scams to threaten the 2007 holiday season consumers can sign-up for BBB’s free e-newsletter, Consumer Club at www.bbb.org.

Here are some more suggestions from BBB to help holiday shoppers steer clear of theft and disappointment this season:

1. Don’t cash that check – Everyone could use a little extra cash around the holidays, but if you get a check in the mail from an unknown source, chances are it’s a scam.  Go to bbb.org and sign-up for our free e-newsletter and you’ll receive timely alerts on the latest scams to hit Maryland. 
2. Double check that charity – One of BBB’s recent warnings came in the wake of the California wild fires. Make sure you know that your money is really going to make a difference and not to a scam artist.
3. Use trustworthy Web sites – Always start with BBB to check on the seller’s reputation and record for customer satisfaction. Look for a “trustmark” from BBBOnLine and click on that seal to confirm that it’s valid. If it doesn’t link to the company’s BBB Reliability Report that’s a warning sign. Go to www.bbb.org to verify the company’s claim of BBB Accreditation before you make your purchase.
4. Buyer beware – As the popularity of eBay continues to grow, so does the opportunity for deception.  Bid wisely and only pay for online auction items using your credit card, so you can cancel if you don’t receive your merchandise – or if the items you receive were grossly misrepresented.
5. Protect your personal information – Read the site’s privacy policy to understand what personal information is being requested and how it will be used. If there isn’t one posted, consider that a warning that your personal information may be sold to others without your permission. Safeguard your receipts.  Sometimes when you’re in a hurry, you might accidentally leave your receipt within someone else’s reach, leaving sensitive information in the wrong hands. 
6. Trust your gut – Offers on Web sites and in unsolicited e-mails can often sound too good to be true. Always go with your instincts and don’t be afraid to pass up a “deal” because it might cost you in the end.
7. Beware of phishing – Legitimate businesses do not send e-mails claiming problems with an order or an account to lure the “buyer” into revealing financial information. Pick up the phone and call the contact number on the Web site where you made the purchase to ask if there was a problem with your transaction.
8. Know your refund policies – Each year, BBB gets flooded with calls and letters from consumers who never asked or read the merchant’s refund policy.  If you made your purchase online, there will likely be a final confirmation page or you might receive confirmation by email – don’t delete these, save them! Organizing your electronic and hardcopy receipts will often go a long way in keeping tabs on policies and minimizing post-holiday disappointment.
9. Pay with a credit card – It’s best to use a credit card because under federal law you can dispute the charges if you don’t get what you were promised. You also have dispute rights if there are unauthorized charges on your credit card, and many card issuers have “zero liability” policies under which you pay nothing if someone steals your credit card number and uses it.
10. Check your credit card statement often – Don’t wait for a paper statement; check your credit card statements for suspicious activity by either calling the credit card company or by checking your statement online.
11. Know your rights – Federal law requires that orders made by mail, phone or online be shipped by the date promised or, if no delivery time was stated, within 30 days. If the goods aren’t shipped on time, you can cancel and demand a refund. There is no general three-day cancellation right, but you do have the right to reject merchandise if it’s defective or was misrepresented. Otherwise, it’s the company’s policies that determine if you can cancel the purchase and whether you can get a refund or credit.

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