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The Better Business Bureau (BBB) serves as a vital resource for both consumers and businesses, especially in the online world. By offering detailed information and facilitating dispute resolution, the BBB helps foster trust and satisfaction in commercial interactions. Whether you're researching a company, looking into a charity, or seeking to resolve a complaint, the BBB provides valuable services to guide your decisions.

What Services Does the Better Business Bureau Offer?

The BBB provides a range of services designed to promote ethical business practices and consumer confidence. These include:

How Does the BBB Resolve Complaints?

The BBB's complaint process aims to facilitate an informal resolution through written communication and telephone mediation. They offer convenient methods for communication, including telephone, email, written correspondence, and their website. If both parties agree, the BBB can also provide arbitration services to help settle a dispute.

How Does a Business Earn a Satisfactory BBB Rating?

A business is more likely to achieve a satisfactory rating by consistently demonstrating good faith and ethical practices. This includes promptly responding to the BBB's requests for information, addressing advertising concerns, obtaining appropriate competency licenses and bonds, and effectively resolving customer complaints. Conversely, businesses that fail to respond to complaints, operate without proper licenses, engage in fraudulent offers, or do not address the root cause of complaints are likely to receive an unsatisfactory rating.

What Are BBB Seal Programs?

The BBB offers seal programs that businesses can display to signal their commitment to reliability and privacy. These seals are particularly important for online businesses:

BBB Reliability Seal Program

Research indicates that a significant majority of online shoppers prioritize the reliability of a business. To display the BBB Reliability Seal, websites must apply to the BBB, meet specific format requirements, and fulfill all statutory obligations. This seal helps assure consumers that a business adheres to BBB standards.

BBB Privacy Seal Program

A high percentage of online shoppers feel more confident on websites that display the BBBOnLine Privacy Seal. This seal helps businesses build trust with potential customers who are concerned about their personal data. Websites interested in displaying this seal must apply to the BBB, follow proper formatting, and meet all statutory requirements.

Beware of BBB Trademark Misuse and Scams

The Better Business Bureau has issued international alerts warning about individuals misusing BBB and BBBOnLine trademarks. These fraudulent activities often aim to extort money from online shoppers.

For example, the BBB received an inquiry from an online shopper searching for an automobile on cars.com. The shopper received a fraudulent email invoice from someone posing as an escrow service. This email displayed cars.com and BBBOnLine banners and listed several other legitimate BBB entities, including BBB Dispute Resolution, BBB Wise Giving Alliance, Children's Advertising Review Unit (CARU), Council of Better Business Bureaus (CBBB), National Advertising Division, and National Advertising Review Council.

The deceptive email claimed that the Better Business Bureau and cars.com were trusted, neutral third parties, stating, "With cars.com Security Center and Better Business Bureau you will receive your merchandise before the seller is paid." Buyers were then encouraged to make cash payments through Western Union to an address in Sweden.

Steve Cole, then president and CEO of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc., emphasized that these scam artists falsely use BBB and BBBOnLine trademarks to inspire trust and confidence. The CBBB has taken steps to prevent further victimization by demanding that those involved cease and desist from using BBB trademarks for their extortion schemes.

It's crucial for the public to understand that this type of email is not affiliated with the Better Business Bureau, BBBOnLine, any other BBB entity, or cars.com. BBB trademarks have been misused in similar ways in the past. Remember, Better Business Bureaus do not provide escrow services or secure financial transactions. While cars.com does not provide escrow services directly, it does offer consumers access to reputable escrow services through its partnership with escrow.com.

Cars.com explicitly states on its website that it is not involved in transactions between buyers and sellers. Furthermore, the reference to a "cars.com security center" in such emails is inconsistent with any messaging provided by cars.com or its affiliates.

Chris Long, cars.com's director of product management, advises consumers to always use a licensed, reputable escrow service and never blindly accept one proposed by a buyer or seller. He also recommends extreme caution when dealing with buyers or sellers who claim to conduct business overseas, as this is a strong indicator of potential fraudulent activity.

What Should You Do to Protect Yourself?

The BBB offers the following advice to consumers: