BBB Consumer Education Blog

Protect Your Move and Yourself During National Moving Month

Susan — Thu, 17 May 2012 13:00:25 +0000

May is National Moving Month and the start of the busiest time of year for changing residences…which means unlicensed movers and dishonest fraudsters are waiting to take advantage of consumers who aren’t careful. In 2011, BBBs’ received more than 1.3 million moving related inquiries and more than 9,000 complaints against movers. Complaints include lost or Continue Reading

FTC, MySpace, and your PII

Jackie — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:00:56 +0000

The FTC announced on May 8, 2012 that the social networking service MySpace has agreed to settle FTC charges that it misrepresented its protection of users’ PII (personally identifiable information). Here is what the FTC alleges was going on: In order for MySpace users to create customized personal online profiles, they had to register. To Continue Reading

Deceptive Mortgage Ads: What They Say; What They Leave Out

Michael — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:00:39 +0000

Looking for a mortgage to buy a home or refinance an existing loan? Some ads will offer low rates or payments and may look like they’re from your mortgage company or a government agency, and don’t disclose the true terms of the deal as the law requires. Often the most important information you need isn’t Continue Reading

Robocalls Persist

Tom — Mon, 14 May 2012 14:28:44 +0000

We’ve covered this topic before, but these calls continue to abound with various offers. We at your BBB have received multiple of requests for assist regarding calls from “Rachel,” who wants to reduce your credit interest rate, and all you have to do to learn about this offer is to press a number on your Continue Reading

Is Your Phone Bill Getting “Crammed”?

Jason — Fri, 11 May 2012 13:00:16 +0000

According to a recent press release, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is seeking a ruling against Billing Services Group (BSC), the largest third-party billing company in the nation, for allegedly adding bogus charges to consumers’ phone bills. These charges were supposedly for additional services that the consumers did not authorize or use. The alleged practice Continue Reading

Tips for Successful Mother’s Day Shopping

Susan — Thu, 10 May 2012 13:00:41 +0000

It’s almost Mother’s Day! Whether you are ordering flowers, shopping for custom jewelry, or arranging for a special spa day for the “mom” in your life, be careful with your purchase plans and be a smart consumer. BBB sees lots of scams that focus on holiday shopping, and is warning consumers to proceed with caution Continue Reading

Get Rich Quick?—Not So Fast!

Jackie — Wed, 09 May 2012 14:33:00 +0000

Make $150 an hour! Solve puzzles & earn money! Start a Home Business with 5-Figure Potential! Yes, the offers are everywhere promising you an easy way to make lots of money. Unfortunately, instead of making money, consumers end up losing money, sometimes quite a bit. The FTC has been conducting ongoing campaigns against scammers who Continue Reading

Disputing Unauthorized Charges

Michael — Tue, 08 May 2012 13:00:33 +0000

Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, you have the right to dispute charges on your credit card you didn’t make, are incorrect, or for goods or services you didn’t receive. Send a letter to the creditor within 60 days of the postmark of the bill with the disputed charge. Include your name and account number, Continue Reading

Saving Money on Utilities

Tom — Mon, 07 May 2012 13:00:54 +0000

With the cost of energy increasing, whether at the pump or in terms of cooling your home this summer, or using devices to reduce your energy consumption, here are some factors consumers should keep in mind. Let’s look at two types of products. The first is called the “radiant barrier.” Radiant barriers may be “reflective Continue Reading

Watch Out for Corrupted Popular Apps

Amanda — Fri, 04 May 2012 13:00:37 +0000

If you have a smartphone or a tablet, you probably have downloaded some apps, but have you ever really checked in to them before you clicked “purchase”? According to SOPHOS, a research company, several popular apps like Angry Birds Space and Instagram, if downloaded from unofficial app stores, may contain malware. In the case of Continue Reading