Compiled by Zan Deery, Communications/Investigations
8/31/09
zan@spokane.bbb.org
800-356-1007 or 509-455-4200
www.bbb.org
Readers of these tips should take into consideration the importance of the practice in question and the total performance of a company.
For complete information and BBB reports, please visit
www.bbb.org
TOP TIP FOR THE WEEK: MONTANA BUSINESSES, BE AWARE OF COUNTERFEIT $100 BILLS CIRCULATING
WARNING FROM MONTANA CHAMBER via Secret Service
The Billings office of the U.S. Secret Service has reported an unusually large number of $100 counterfeit bills are in circulation in Montana.
If you are presented with the countterfeit bill, you should contact the Billings Secret Service office at 406-245-8585.
The Montana Chamber of Commerce has posted an image of the purported counterfeit bill on its website:
http://www.montanachamber.com/uploads/docs/Website%20pdfs/CFT%205%20bolo.pdf
TIP NUMBER TWO
CROSSROADS SUBSCRIPTIONS of TX Targeting Montanans with Door-to-Door Magazine Pitches: Has BBB’s Lowest Rating
Crossroads Subscriptions
(940) 365-3460
4800 S Hwy 377 or 488 Hwy 377 S
Aubrey, TX 76227
Crossroads Subscriptions BBB Report
http://www.bbb.org/dallas/business-reviews/magazines-subscription-agents/crossroads-subscriptions-in-aubrey-tx-90225133
There have been reports of questionable sales activities and pitches made by the above-mentioned company in the Great Falls area. We caution people to be wary of such offers, and to report anyone who will not take NO for answer, or leave your property when asked to the police ASAP.
BBB ADVICE: TIPS ON DOOR-TO-DOOR MAGAZINE SALES EMPLOYING YOUTH
"Our organization was founded to give kids like me summer jobs so we can stay off the streets and avoid gangs and drugs. Can you help us by buying our product?" "I'm selling magazine subscriptions to earn a college scholarship. For each magazine I sell, the group I work for provides scholarship funds for my education."
Sound familiar? Every year crews of teenagers and young adults travel to towns across the country peddling magazines. They show up on your doorstep with stories such as how you can help them avoid inner-city troubles by buying their product. The cause sounds admirable, they appear to be hard working, so why not help out?
Before making a decision, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) advises you to consider the following: The National Consumers League estimates that 50,000 children nationwide are involved in traveling sales crews selling consumer items door-to-door and on city street corners. The youth groups are transported hundreds of miles from their homes, often across state lines. Unfortunately, many of these young people are victims. The League has consistently ranked "traveling crews" among the worst jobs available for youth and indicates that they can also constitute a dangerous environment.
BBB files reflect that the organizers of these crews may falsely present themselves as charitable and civic-minded groups. In such cases the organizer is the victimizer. In fact, many are for-profit operations that take advantage of their young and vulnerable "workers." The youths are taught to use high-pressure appeals and basically live out of vans and hotels. The organizer also may keep your "donation" or "subscription money" and not pass it along to any charity, community group or publisher. Further, these young people often make little or no money in wages despite the help-wanted advertisements luring them with claims of "big money" and "fun and travel."
Employing the young plays on your sympathy; it may also violate state wage and employment laws. Various news media have reported abusive treatment of young sales crews. Minors report having been sexually harassed and physically assaulted; some have been left stranded with no means of transportation home. In addition, the young people are typically expected to work long hours with little rest and it is not uncommon for them to be exposed to illegal drugs or underage drinking. Parents often discover too late the perils to which their children have been exposed.
Certainly, there are legitimate youth fundraisers. And yes, they may come knocking. However, the next time a youth sales crew appears on your doorstep, it may be wise not to assume that it represents a local school or youth group. Ask for the name of the organization and other details. You may also want to inquire about the welfare of the young "worker." Many localities require licensing for door to door sales, so do inquire and verify that aspect of any door to door sales presentation.
GREAT FALLS TRIBUNE STORY ON CROSSROADS SUBSCRIPTIONS
http://www.greatfallstribune.com/article/20090829/BUSINESS/908290305
TIP NUMBER THREE & a HALF
BOTH TIPS INVOLVE MISUSE OF BBB INFORMATION/PROFILES
MCKINNEY GLASS, REGIONAL BBB ACCREDITED BUSINESS’ PROFILE USED IN JOB SCAM on CRAIGSLIST
Scammers Using Legitimate Yakima Area Address and Company Name
McKinney Glass at 221 S. 1st Street, Yakima, WA 98901
A woman from New York State called your BBB to report that she received a response regarding a job offer from the above mentioned company on Craigslist after she had posted her resume. All communication was via email. The scammers first wanted her address so they could “send her a computer and printer to get started.” THEN---they wanted to send her a check that she would cash, keep some, and wire the rest back to them. She saw this as a red flag and didn’t continue.
THIS JOB PITCH IS A SCAM. Protect personal info. Do not continue to reply to such offers for employment. Check 1st with BBB to verify legitimacy of BBB accredited business profiles, reports, and logos used online, especially if it involves a job post. BBB will help you confirm or verify if/that it is really true or not.
This scam is misusing our accredited business’ name and address to try to get you to compromise personal information.
BBB ADVICE
Never respond to an email only about a job posting that you have not initiated.
BOZEMAN BUSINESS SOLUTIONS of MT BBB Report Link Used in JOB SCAM at www.IQBusiness.org of Poland
Fake Web Site Displays BBB Logo, Clicks Through to MT Company’s Real BBB Report to Fake You Out
BBB Central E TX reported to our BBB that one of their local consumers called and pointed out that they were on the following web site: http://www.iqbusiness.org looking into a job offer as a Financial Manager.
If you click CONTACT, it takes you to this page: http://www.iqbusiness.org/index/contacts where it states that the company, IQ Business Office, is located in Warszawa, Poland.
HOWEVER, at the bottom of the page is a BBB logo that is being falsely displayed without authorization. If you click on the online logo, it takes you to a report from BOZEMAN BUSINESS SOLUTIONS out of MT, which has nothing to do with this scam.
BBB ADVICE
This web site is a FAKE JOB SCAM OFFER for “Financial Managers.” And Bozeman Business Solutions Inc. is not affiliated in any way with this site. Bozeman Business Solutions BBB report is being misused to make people believe that they are somehow affiliated with this job scam and its pitch.
TIP NUMBER FOUR
Health Aid, RezXtra from Canadian-Based MedsXtra, a Bitter Pill
St. Louis BBB, Aug. 27, 2009 - A Canadian health supplement business that uses a St. Louis County company to distribute its “fountain of youth” pills across the U. S. is under fire from angry customers who say they are being charged for products they don’t want. The BBB urges that customers be cautious when dealing with RezXtra, the Toronto-based MedsXtra which offers the pill, and a related British company called Net Natural Ltd.
The RezXtra Web site describes the product as “America’s No. 1 Anti-Aging Pill!” and promises to help “shed pounds of unwanted weight,” “improves your stamina” and “can save you from a host of debilitating old age diseases.” Customers interviewed by the BBB said they noticed no health benefits from the pills. The company says the pills contain Resveratrol, an anti-oxidant found in red wine.
The BBB said customers have cited numerous problems with a “free trial offer” for RezXtra, including misleading marketing, inflated advertising claims about the health benefits of the pills and an inability to cancel orders. Some said they continue to be charged for bottles of the pills, despite canceling their orders. One consumer said she tried to phone a company representative to cancel an order, but instead spent four hours on hold listening to recorded music. Another said she called 15 times, but was never able to reach anyone.
THE CATCH: Unless an order is canceled within 14 days, the customer is billed for the full value of the bottle (about $86) and enrolled in a monthly program with a similar monthly charge automatically charged to the customer’s credit account.
While some complainants said they failed to carefully read the terms of the free offer, others say they read everything carefully. The problem, they said, was difficulty canceling their orders within the prescribed time frame.
The BBB offers the following advice for consumers considering buying products online:
• Be cautious of free offers. Companies cannot stay in business by giving away products at no cost. Usually, free offers are followed by an open-ended enrollment in a program that will automatically bill your account. Make sure you read all offers completely and carefully and, if you have any concerns, do not do business with the company.
• Pay with a credit card whenever possible. If there is a significant problem with your order, you can often challenge the charge.
• Check products with the U. S. Food and Drug Administration.
• Research any company carefully before doing business with it. Check out reliability reports with the BBB by going online at www.bbb.org
TIP NUMBER FIVE
PRIZE INFORMATION BUREAU of Las Vegas, NV Sending Mailings to Montanans that Read: “State of Montana Commissions of Registration”
No such Commission in MT!
A prize promotion company called Prize Information Bureau out of Las Vegas, NV is sending direct mail pieces to Montana residents stating they are in the running to win a large sum of money. To “pay to play” you send $20 to stay in the running.
The kicker is this mailing is designed to look like it's coming from the "State of Montana Commissioners of Registration." (There is no such thing.)
BBB REPORT ON PRIZE INFORMATION BUREAU
http://www.vegasbbb.org/bbb_rated_acc_rpt.asp?bbbid=77522&tr=rated&lg=F&ex=11%2C14%2C16%2C26
BBB ADVICE
Be wary of any prize promotion offer that misuses your locale (misrepresents that they are located near you) to hook you or make it seem more legitimate. Many companies offer prizes as incentives to buy their products or services or to participate in their promotions. Often these prizes are misrepresented. The BBB suggest that if the offer requires you to pay an upfront fee to play or buy a product in order to receive a prize, think twice about playing. You shouldn’t be required to submit to a sales promotion or pay any money for goods or services in order to receive the prize or thing of value. Do not be pressured into making an immediate decision to order goods, and do not give your credit card number over the phone to any unknown companies pitching via cold calls.
Know that if you respond to such offers, your info will be sold or shared and you will receive an increase of questionable offers and pitches via email, mail and/or phone as a result.
ONES FOR THE GIPPER!
FDIC POSTS LATEST NEWSLETTER FOR CONSUMERS
NEW CONSUMER PROTECTIONS FOR CREDIT CARDS AND MORTGAGES: HOW THEY CAN HELP BORROWERS AVOID SURPRISES
Other topics in the latest FDIC Consumer News include making the most of bank rewards programs and new resources explaining deposit insurance coverage
New federal consumer protections for credit cards and mortgages -- including prohibitions against abusive lending practices and requirements for clearer, more timely disclosures -- will help people avoid surprises. The Summer 2009 issue of FDIC Consumer News from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation features key changes in the rules and what they mean for the public.
The latest issue can be read online: www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/news/cnsum09.
To order up to two free paper copies, consumers can use the online form on that same Web page or call the Federal Citizen Information Center toll-free at 888-8-PUEBLO (1-888-878-3256) weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time and ask for Department D96.
BUSINESSES ALWAYS BEWARE: CREDIT CARD FRAUD SCENARIO
Purchasing Goods with Stolen Credit Card Info, Shipping Goods via a Fake or Misused Company Address
Thanks to Pullman Police Dept.
Last week, the Pullman Police Department spoke with small company in Florida that ships heavy industrial parts. Scammers in Africa placed an order for about $10,000 in merchandise using fraudulent credit card numbers. The order was made by e-mail ONLY.
The order was then to be shipped from Florida to Pullman, WA. The gist of the transaction was the scammers tried to get the company to pay several thousand dollars in shipping costs to the “shipper account” in Ghana, Africa.
Several things in the suspect’s communications indicated it was a scam: 1) the person placing the order used a G-mail address only, 2) the text of the message used poor English and punctuation, and 3) when the suspect called, there was considerable background noise - which was most likely a voice-over Internet call.
LATEST ADVANCE FEE LOAN SCAM ON BBB RADAR: Brimley Financial Group of MN
The BBB has received complaints from customers against Brimley Financial Group, claiming to be operating out of Minneapolis. The company has promised customers loans ranging from $5,000 to $10,000, asking for upfront fees of anywhere from $800 to $2,500. Customers report they wired the money as the company requested – to an address in Canada -- and then never received their loans. In some cases, the company promised to provide refunds and failed to do so.
BBB ADVICE
• If you’re asked to pay a fee upfront or wire funds to receive your loan, the offer is not legitimate. According to the Federal Trade Commission, it’s illegal for companies doing business by phone in the U.S. to promise you a loan and ask you to pay for it before they deliver. Requiring advance fees for loans is also illegal in Canada
• Be sure to check the company’s reliability report with the Better Business Bureau at www.bbb.org
• Beware of lenders not interested in your credit history and/or advertisements that downplay bad credit.
• Remember, the Internet is full of bogus offers. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!
Best “You Can’t Fool Me” Phone Scenario, from Lewiston, ID
A senior citizen called to let us know that he got talked into buying some garbage bags on the phone from a group calling themselves “Handi Team” to benefit the mentally challenged. No record on www.bbb.org His credit card was charged $130 for the garbage bags. He tried to say “No,” several times, yet no one paid heed to his refusal. He winded up cancelling his credit card. But, after doing that, he received a call from a “desperate” young man saying he would be kicked out of his shelter if the senior didn’t pay by 5 p.m. Our senior from Lewiston said he couldn’t afford it and wasn’t going to do it. Two weeks later he got exactly the same call.
The senior thinks “Handi Team” gave his credit card information to a more questionable group.
The WWA BBB and WA Attorney General’s Office issued this Warning about Charity Calls Similar to These here:
http://www.atg.wa.gov/pressrelease.aspx?&id=23082
CHARITABLE TIPS & RESOURCES
1. Check out charities before you give.
*Secretary of State’s Office: Confirm a charity is registered and review its financial records. The office also publishes an annual report showing how much money commercial fundraisers give to their charitable clients and how much they keep.
*Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance: www.give.org
*American Institute of Philanthropy: www.charitywatch.org
*GuideStar: www.guidestar.org
*Charity Navigator: www.charitynavigator.org
*Your Attorney General’s Office: If you believe you are a victim of charity fraud, please contact your State Attorney General’s Consumer Resource Center.
2. Give to familiar organizations and those you trust.
3. Ask exactly how your money will be used.
4. Pay by check and protect your personal information.
5. Maintain records of your contributions. If a donation is “tax deductible,” you can deduct your contribution on your federal income tax return. Tax exempt simply means the organization doesn’t have to pay taxes.
6. Remove your name from mailing lists and telemarketing lists. Contact the Direct Marketing Association’s opt-out service at www.dmachoice.org. Register for the national Do Not Call list at www.donotcall.gov or 888-382-1222. Individuals with dementia or other cognitive impairments may be particularly vulnerable to solicitations, so caretakers should remove them from these lists.