By providing consumers with information and helping to resolve disputes, the internet better business bureau (BBB) helps business and customers achieve satisfaction.

BBB provide charity and company reliability reports, complaint resolution, arbitration and mediation, advertising review, scam warnings and general subject information. BBB reliability reports are used to assist businesses and consumers in making an informed purchasing decision. The reports include general information about the business, customer experience with the company, the company's response to Bureau requests for substantiation of its advertising claims, government actions, if any, against it, the Bureau's complaint experience with the company, and whether the Bureau rates the company's business record as satisfactory or unsatisfactory.

BBB complaint process is designed to facilitate an informal resolution to the complaint through written communication and telephone mediation. BBB provide easy methods of facilitation by telephone, facsimile, email, written correspondence and through website. Internet better business bureau also offer arbitration services to both parties, if they agree to settle their dispute with an arbitrator.

By promptly responding to BBB's requests for business information, addressing advertising issues that cause concern, obtaining appropriate competency licenses and bonds, and resolving complaints, a business is more ikely to have a satisfactory rating. Businesses that fail to respond to complaints, operate without appropriate competency licenses, operate fraudulent offers, or fail to address the cause of complaints are likely to be rated unsatisfactory.

BBB Reliability Seal Program:"73% of purchasers and 82% of non-purchasers seek reliability of business as a major concern when shopping online.Concerned websites are required to apply with BBB,in proper format and fulfill all the statutory requirements.

BBB Privacy Seal Program:"Almost 90% of online shoppers would feel more confident shopping on a site that displays the BBBOnLine Privacy Seal."* Don't let lack of confidence in your site turn potential consumers away.Concerned websites are required to apply with BBB,in proper format and fulfill all the statutory requirements.

Internet better business bureau have issued an international alert to warn about individuals misusing the BBB and BBBOnLine trademarks.

Better Business Bureaus have issued an international alert to warn about individuals misusing the BBB and BBBOnLine trademarks to extort money from online shoppers seeking to purchase automobiles.

The internet better business bureau received an inquiry from an online shopper who was searching for an automobile on cars.com. The shopper was sent an invoice by e-mail from someone posing as an escrow service that displayed a cars.com and BBBOnLine banner and listed several other BBB sites, 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 fraudulent e-mail invoice contains claims that the Better Business Bureau and cars.com are trusted, neutral third parties. The e-mail goes on to say that, "With cars.com Security Center and Better Business Bureau you will receive your merchandise before the seller is paid." Buyers were encouraged to make their cash payments through Western Union to an address in Sweden.

"These scam artists are falsely using the BBB and BBBOnLine trademarks to inspire trust and confidence on the part of the buyer," said Steve Cole, president and CEO of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, Inc. "The CBBB has taken steps to prevent others from being victimized by demanding that the individuals involved cease and desist from using the BBB and BBBOnLine trademarks to pursue their extortion schemes."

This e-mail is in no way affiliated with the Better Business Bureau, BBBOnLine or any other BBB entity, or with cars.com. BBB trademarks have been misused in the past in this same manner. It is important for the public to know that Better Business Bureaus do not provide escrow services or secure financial transactions. Cars.com does not provide escrow services, however, it does provide consumers access to reputable escrow services through its partnership with escrow.com.

Cars.com states on its Web site that it is not involved in the transaction between buyers and sellers. In addition, the reference in the e-mail of a "cars.com security center" is not consistent with any messaging provided by cars.com or any of its affiliates.

"We advise consumers to make sure they use a licensed, reputable escrow service and never blindly accept an escrow service proposed by a buyer," said Chris Long, cars.com's director of product management. "We also recommend that consumers use extreme caution when dealing with buyers or sellers who claim to do business overseas, as this is a high indicator of fraudulent activity."

The BBB advises consumers to:

always contact the BBB when there are questions concerning the legitimacy of an offer or an unknown business entity (to find your local BBB, go to www.bbb.org);

always check with the BBB when its name is being used in an unusual or questionable fashion;

"click to check" BBBOnLine Reliability or BBBOnLine Privacy program seals displayed on merchant Web sites or go to www.bbbonline.org for a list of merchants meeting BBBOnLine standards.