Consumer Advocacy
Getting to Know the Better Business Bureau
- What is it?
- The Better Business Bureau (better known as the BBB) is a North America-based organization devoted to consumer rights and protection. Formed in 1912 by a former Coca Cola executive due to frustrations over false advertising, the BBB today assists thousands of corporations, employees, and consumers with dispute resolution and business ethics promotion. They are, essentially, the popular yardstick by which the reputation of American companies are gauged. Their mission statement offers the following services:
Business Reliability Reports
Dispute Resolution
Truth-in-Advertising
Consumer and Business Education
Charity Review
- How Can it Help Me?
- The two most relevant features of the BBB are their company database and complaint center, both of which are accessible online at www.bbb.org. These are invaluable tools for any savvy consumer, particularly ones venturing into the hazardous timeshare industry. The BBB web puts fraud protection directly at your fingertips, providing an additional safeguard beyond the typical rules of thumb (some of which are outlined here).
If you’re considering a timeshare purchase, one of your initial considerations -- if not the first and most important -- should be the legitimacy of the company you’ll be buying from. To run a quick background check, log on to www.bbb.org and locate the left hand box reading “Check it Out”. Underneath this heading you’ll find the company search option; click on it, and enter the pertinent information. A list of results will appear, bearing icons to the left. These icons alone provide highly useful information – if a company is a BBB member, their entry will include the BBB insignia. Many illegitimate organizations refuse to join the BBB out of fear of being exposed; as such, extreme caution (if not dismissal) should be exercised towards companies without this status. The BBB also now offers an online reliability program to companies wishing to improve their good standing: members of this program are identified with a gold symbol. And you should always read the full report on each company, accessible by clicking the search result link (this includes specific comments from the BBB and descriptions of filed complaints). You might best use this information as a way of enforcing or refuting your own reactions to the company representatives you met with: if a corporation utilizes high-pressure sales tactics and isn't a BBB member, chances are you’re in the midst of a scam, and should back away swiftly.
None of this, of course, does you much good if your money has already been swiped by perfidious timeshare agents. But it’s not all hopeless: the BBB’s website also allows consumers to file official complaints electronically, whether the company in question is a member or not. Log on to www.bbb.org again, and locate the box in the middle of the screen with the heading “File a Complaint.” Click on whatever applies best to your situation (business, lemon law/auto warranty, ID theft) and complete the steps. Proceed with care, however, and be sure to at least attempt a solution that doesn’t require the intervention of the BBB; too many complaints, whether flippant or valid, can permanently stain a company’s status. But many of these companies fully the deserve the damages -- so, even if your own money isn’t rescued from timeshare crooks, you can rest assured that your complaint will steer other consumers from making the same errors.
In addition to these services, the BBB website also provides fraud alerts and updates on current scams, so it’s a good idea to visit often, particularly if you make frequent purchases from high-risk industries. There’s also a section filled with tips and advice for neophytes to specific markets (ie, prospective automotive or home owners). Good luck with your purchase!
