Better Business Bureau Serving Eastern Michigan

SCOTTSDALE, AZ — BuildZoom, a company that uses customer feedback, government data, and an algorithm to rank and rate contractors, conducted its first annual survey of US homeowners. The goal of the survey was to develop a better understanding of consumer habits as well as to learn how they choose home improvement contractors.

Findings of the survey indicated that most homeowners look to the Better Business Bureau (BBB) as its primary source of finding remodeling contractors, putting it ahead of other services such as the Yellow Pages, Angie’s List, Yelp, Craigslist and ServiceMagic. Of consumers who hired four or more contractors in the past year, the majority were more likely to have used the BBB while homeowners who only hired one contractor were more likely to use Angie’s List or Yelp.

Homeowners who used the Yellow Pages or Craigslist to find a contractor were more likely to report higher levels of dissatisfaction, according to the survey.

 

Facebook users, watch out. A clever scam in the form of a fake account cancellation email is making the rounds, and it’s easy to get fooled. Don’t let the threat of losing your account trick you into installing malware on your computer.

How the Scam Works:

The scam starts with a suspicious email informing Facebook users that they have a received an “account cancellation request,” reports computer security blog Naked Security. (See sample email below) Recipients are urged to follow a link to cancel the request:

 

Here’s the clever part. The link appears to be official because it goes to a facebook.com address. Really, it links to a third-party application just running on the Facebook platform.

If you do click on the link, a message asks you to allow an unknown application to run on your computer. Click the “run” button, and you will see a message telling you to download the new version of Adobe Flash. The file that downloads is not the latest version of Flash, but code allowing hackers to spy on your activties and take control of your computer.

For More Information

For more information and screen shots of the scam, see Naked Security’s original article.

For more scams in your area, check out BBB’s complete scam directory. 

Just what we love here - a thumbs up from a consumer we helped:

“Two weeks ago, I filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. Since then, I received an email and they have corrected the problem. My insurance is covering what they were supposed to. I would like to extend a thank you, to all who have assisted me with my situation. I did not know how I would have been able to cover all of my medical expenses if the Better Business Bureau did not step in and resolve the issues that were arising.”

Thank you to Najib Mansour for letting us know!!

Check your credit and/or debit card statements closely this month. Consumers nationwide are finding charges for $19.95 or more for credit reports they never ordered. 

The charges appear to be from Experian, Consumerinfo.com or Creditreport.com. Creditreport.com is part of a family of credit reporting sites belonging to Consumerinfo.com, Inc. an Experian company.

What should I know about the scam?

Falsely charged consumers contacted Experian at the phone number listed on their debit/credit card statement and learned that their card number was used to purchase a credit report for another person. The false charges likely stemmed from a security breach.

What should I do if I spot a charge on my statement?

• For charges from Experian, Consumerinfo.com or Creditreport.com, you should call the number listed next to the merchant’s name on your credit or debit card statements. 
• The representative will ask for your name and debit or credit card number. If your name and the name on the purchased credit report are not the same, a refund will be issued within 7-14 days. The representative may also ask for your social security number for further verification.
• Immediately contact your debit or credit card issuer to report the misuse and request a new card.

Report the incident to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) through their ID Theft Clearinghouse at www.ftc.gov/idtheft. This will allow the FTC to identify patterns associated with the unauthorized transactions and investigate the source of the data breach. 

What do you do when a local business shuts its door? Unfortunately, “Out of Business” signs pop up all the time, usually accompanied by disconnected phones and unanswered email. But the business is still obligated to provide the goods or services that have been paid for, or to refund the customers’ money.

There are several things you can do if you find yourself in this situation:

• Write to the owner and keep copies of your correspondence. Mail is usually forwarded when a business closes. Be polite and you may get satisfaction.
• If you paid via credit card, write to your credit card company to dispute the charges. Under federal law, you have 60 days after the charge first appears on a bill (this doesn’t work if you paid with a debit card).

  

• Contact the landlord to inquire about gaining access to merchandise inside the property.
• File a complaint with BBB at www.bbb.org/complain. If the company hasn’t closed completely, BBB will help you try to resolve the issue. If the company reopens, your complaint will follow them.
• File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission atwww.ftc.gov. FTC cannot help resolve your complaint, but the information they receive helps their investigations.
• If the company files for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, you have 90 days to file a claim with the bankruptcy court. Forms and more information are available at uscourts.gov.
• If the company files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, it means they intend to stay in business and need time to reorganize. During this time, they usually honor contracts, gift cards, etc. and try to fulfill delivery of all goods and services already purchased. Be persistence but patient during this time and it may work out.
• If the company owner does not file for bankruptcy, you could file in small claims court.
• Service warranties may still be honored by the manufacturer or a third party servicer. Contact the manufacturer to find out if another business in your area will honor the warranty.

May 20-26 is National Small Business Week and a time to celebrate the growing business demographic in our country. Entrepreneurs and small business owners are the backbone of the U.S. economy: 60 to 80 percent of the new jobs in the country are created by the approximately 27.2 million small businesses in the U.S. It is estimated that over half of Americans either own or work for a small business. In honor of National Small Business Week, Better Business Bureau is encouraging small business owners to take advantage of the many resources for small businesses from BBB and from the Federal Trade Commission:

BBB Code of Business Practices

The BBB Code of Business Practices represents sound advertising, selling and customer service practices that enhance customer trust and confidence in business. Even for businesses that are not BBB Accredited, this Code should be a roadmap for creating and managing an ethical business.

BBB Code of Advertising

100 years ago, BBB was founded on the principles of truth in advertising, which rests first and foremost with the advertiser. All BBBs review local ads, and BBB’s New York office reviews national ads. The BBB Code of Advertising lays out principles, definitions and suggestions for ethical advertising that all businesses can adopt.

BBB Data Security – Made Simpler
With data breaches becoming all too common in the news, BBB partnered with data security experts at Symantec Corporation, Visa Inc., Kroll’s Fraud Solutions and NACHA – The Electronic Payments Association to produce free, easy-to-understand data security guidelines, with checklists and links to data security resources for small businesses. BBB’s Data Security – Made Simpler arms small business owners with the information they need to protect their customers and their business. For more information, visit www.bbb.org/data-security.

BBB TrustBrief
The BBB TrustBrief is a free, thrice-weekly email to help small business owners stay on top of headlines and get guidance and expert advice on running a business. Sign up for a free subscription at www.smartbrief.org/bbb.

BBB Tips on Direct Selling
BBB and the Direct Selling Education Foundation partnered to create a series of articles, videos and PSAs to educate direct sellers, their customers and even those considering a career path in direct selling. Free tips and advice you can trust on direct selling are available at www.bbb.org/us/dsef-tips.

Federal Trade Commission 
Wondering what kind of proof you need to back up the claims in your ads? Planning on using email to publicize your company? Thinking about buying a franchise or business opportunity? Concerned about your legal obligation to keep information secure? The FTC has free resources on best practices for complying with the law, many of which you can order in bulk for your employees at no charge. Written with a minimum of legalese, the FTC offers online tutorials, videos, and more than 100 to-the-point publications created with the small business owner in mind: http://ftc.gov/bcp/business.shtm

More advice for small business owners can be found online from BBB at www.bbb.org/us/Business-Resources and for more information on National Small Business week, visit www.nationalsmallbusinessweek.com.

 

Natural disasters like tornados, hurricanes and earthquakes can bring out the best in people, as strangers reach out to help others in need. Unfortunately, crises also bring out persons who choose to take advantage of the victims. Some of the most common “after-disaster” scams involve damage done to roofs.

Whether your roof got hit hard by a natural disaster or just needs to be replaced due to time, you need to take certain precautions when it comes to hiring a roofing contractor. In 2011, BBB received more than 3.3 million inquiries from consumers looking to find a roofer they could trust – making it the top inquired industry in the BBB system.

BBB offers the following tips to homeowners who suffer roof damage in the wake of a natural disaster:

Do your research. Check with your insurance company about policy coverage and specific filing requirements. Save all receipts if temporary roofing repairs are necessary.

Stay calm. Although you may be anxious to get things back to normal, avoid letting your emotions get the better of you. Don’t be pressured into making an immediate decision with a long-term impact.  Be pro-active in selecting a company and not re-active to sales solicitations.

Shop around. For major repairs, take time to shop around and get 3-4 estimates based on the same specifications and materials. Check out references that are at least one year-old, and verify that the contractor is required to be licensed and/or registered to do work in your area. Also, check with your local building inspector to see if a building permit is required.

Avoid high-pressure sales tactics. Be wary of door-to-door workers who claim to have left-over materials from a job “down the street” or who do not have a permanent place of business. If sales people go door-to-door, check to see if your community requires them to have solicitation permits.

Trust your gut. Be leery if a worker shows up on your doorstep to announce that your home is unsafe. If you are concerned about possible structural damage in your home, have an engineer, architect or building official inspect it. While most roofing contractors abide by the law, be careful allowing someone you do not know to inspect your roof. An unethical contractor may actually create damage to get work.

Get everything in writing. Require a written contract agreement with anyone you hire. Be sure their name, address, license number and phone number are included in the contract. Read and understand the contract in its entirety, don’t sign a blank contract, and make sure you get a copy of the signed contract at the time of signature.

Clearly written proposals that are detailed and broken down into separate line items are a good sign that the contractor is being thorough and has prepared an accurate estimate. The following is a partial list of items your estimate or proposal should include:

• The type of roof covering, manufacturer and color
• Materials to be included in the work, e.g., underlayment, ice dam protection membrane
• Scope of work to be done
• Removal or replacement of existing roof
• Flashing work, e.g., existing flashings to be replaced or re-used, adding new flashing, flashing metal type
• Ventilation work, e.g., adding new vents

Who is responsible for repairing/replacing exterior landscape or interior finishes that are damaged during the course of the work? Make sure that it contains language addressing who is responsible for any damage that occurs as a result of the work. All items of concern and work to be done should be included in the contract. Installation method Approximate starting and completion dates Payment procedures Length of warranty and what is covered, e.g., workmanship, water leakage Who will haul away the old roofing materials and/or project waste (e.g. extra materials, packaging, etc.)? Is there extra charge for this service?

If one estimate seems much lower than the others and it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Many fly-by-night contractors’ below-cost bids seem attractive, but these contractors often are uninsured and perform substandard work or use substandard materials. Make sure to read the fine print. Some contracts use a clause where substantial cancellation fees or liquidation damages are required if the homeowner decides not to use the contractor after insurance approval of the claim. In some instances you may be required to pay the full agreed price if the homeowner cancels after the 3 day cancellation period. If an estimate or contract is confusing, ask the contractor to break it down into items/terms you can understand.

Disaster victims should never feel forced to make a hasty decision or to choose an unknown contractor. BBB has BBB Business Reviews on more than 67,000 roofing contractors, and they are available for free at www.bbb.org.

Memorial Day is a time to honor those who serve and remember those who have died in war. But sadly, it has also become a key opportunity for scammers to target those who are serving or have served their nation, especially elderly veterans. BBB is urging consumers and donors to be on the lookout for deals that seem too good to be true, and for disreputable charities.

“The unique lifestyle of our service members makes them prime targets for scammers,” notes Brenda Linnington, Director of BBB Military Line.  “It’s imperative that we educate our service members and ensure that the support we give to them equals the effort they make every day on behalf of us.” Linnington said scams can include those that target service personnel and their families directly, but also those that appear to be helping military members via charities.

“Donors need to watch out for questionable charities that raise funds on behalf of military organizations,” adds Art Taylor, President and CEO of the BBB Wise Giving Alliance. “When you make a donation, always check www.give.org to see that the group meets BBB charity standards, especially around Memorial Day.  Too many solicitors that fail to meet BBB standards call and say they  help  veterans, service members or their families, and little of the money donated will serve that purpose.”

Among the scams to watch out for:

• Posing as the Veterans Administration and contacting veterans to say they need to update their credit card, bank or other financial records with the VA
• Charging service members for services they could get for free or less expensively elsewhere, such as military records;
• Fraudulent investment schemes that convince veterans to transfer their assets into an irrevocable trust;
• Offering “instant approval” military loans (“no credit check,” “all ranks approved”) that can have high interest rates and hidden fees;
• Advertising housing online with military discounts and incentives, and then bilking service personnel out of the security deposit;
• Trying to sell things like security systems to spouses of deployed military personnel by saying the service member ordered it to protect his or her family;
• Selling stolen vehicles at low prices by claiming to be soldiers who need to sell fast because they’ve been deployed;
• Posing as government contractors recruiting veterans and then asking for a copy of the job applicants’ passport (which contains a lot of personal information);
• Posing on online dating services as a lonely service member in a remote part of Iraq or Afghanistan, and then asking for money to be wired to a third party for some emergency.

BBB advises service members, veterans and all consumers never to give personal identification information (Social Security, bank account, military identification or credit card numbers, etc.) to anyone who contacts you by phone or e-mail, and to be wary of any solicitations that involve purchasing something or transferring money. Consumers can check out businesses and charities for free at www.bbb.org.

For more information, visit www.bbb.org/us/military-line. 

Online shoppers beware! The latest email phishing scam looks just like an order cancellation notice from Amazon.com. Be sure to double check suspicious emails you receive from the online retailer before clicking on any links.

About the scam:

This scam email comes from an Amazon.com email address, such as order-update@amazon.com, and contains the subject line “Your Cancellation” and an order number. The email body tells the recipient that “your order has been successfully canceled” and provides a summary of the order. 

What to do:

Amazon.com cautions email recipients to delete any cancellation notice with an eight digit order number. However, just because your email has a longer order ID number doesn’t mean that’s real. 

To double check your email, be sure to hover over the links to verify their destination. Amazon emails only link to sites that begin with “http://”something”.amazon.com.” (Note the period before “amazon.com.”) Sites such as “payments-amazon.com” are not actually Amazon. Amazon also never uses an IP address (a string of numbers seperated by periods) followed by a directory name, such as http://”123.456.789.123”/amazon.com/. 

If you want to confirm a cancellation: 

1. Go to Amazon.com by typing www.amazon.com into your web browser. Don’t click a link in the e-mail itself.

2. Click “Your Account” in the upper-right corner.

3. Visit “Your Orders” and see if an order matches the details for the one in the e-mail.

More information 

For more information about phishing scams using Amazon.com’s name, please see the information on their website. 

For more information about breaking scams in your area, see BBB.org’s complete scam directory.  

When a small plumbing company in Monroe, Louisiana, got an email yesterday from BBB saying they’d had a complaint filed against them, they took it seriously. After all, the company is a BBB Accredited Business and the owner serves on the board of directors of BBB of Northeast Louisiana. What they got, however, was much worse than a complaint from an unhappy customer. The email was a fake, a phishing scam that downloaded viruses on two of the small business’s computers, which had to be wiped clean in order to get rid of the malware infection. Fortunately for the plumbing company, the virus hadn’t had a chance to steal any banking information.

Unfortunately, small businesses and consumers across the country are falling victim to the latest phishing scam that exploits BBB’s trusted name. The campaign that started yesterday was the second biggest phishing scam in the country on Wednesday, according to the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Spam Data Mine, one of the nation’s foremost computer forensics labs. SDM is assisting the Council of Better Business Bureaus in tracking phishing scams that use the BBB name.

The phishing emails – the fifth wave since Thanksgiving that uses the BBB’s name – uses BBB’s name and logo in an attempt to look like a notice of a newly filed complaint. The latest round includes a ZIP attachment, but that has not always been the case. Whether by an attachment or a link, the phishing emails attempt to trick the recipient into clicking and opening the “complaint,” which downloads malware onto their computer. The malware is designed to infect the computer and look for information such as bank account numbers and passwords in order to steal money from the recipients’ accounts.

If you receive an email that looks like it is about a BBB complaint:

1. Do NOT click on any links or attachments.
2. Read the email carefully for signs that it may be fake (for example, misspellings, grammar, generic greetings such as “Dear member” instead of a name, etc.).
3. Be wary of any urgent instructions to take specified action such as “Click on the link or your account will be closed.”
4. Hover your mouse over links without clicking to see if the address is truly from bbb.org.
5. Delete the email from your computer completely (be sure to empty your “trash can” or “recycling bin,” as well).
6. Run anti-virus software updates frequently and do a full system scan.
7. If you are not certain whether the complaint is legitimate, contact your local BBB (www.bbb.org/find).
8. Forward the email to phishing@council.bbb.org so that our security team can track the perpetrators.  If you receive a “bounce” message, there is no need to resubmit.

BBB also recommends that all businesses take steps to secure their data and the information they’ve collected on their customers. BBB’s “Data Security – Made Simpler” is available free-of-charge at www.bbb.org/data-security.

May is National Moving Month and the start of the busiest time of year for changing residencies…which means unlicensed movers and dishonest scammers are waiting to take advantage consumers who aren’t careful.

In 2011, BBB received more than 1.3 million moving related inquiries and more than 9,000 complaints against movers. Complaints include lost or stolen belongings, damaged items, huge price increases over quoted estimates, late deliveries, and goods being “held hostage” for additional payment.

Tips for Picking the Right Mover: 

BBB has teamed up with American Moving & Storage Association (AMSA) to offer tips on how to select the right mover and how to avoid the scams.

“Finding a mover you can trust can be easy, if you take the time to do so,” said Melanie Duquesnel, president & CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Eastern Michigan. “Consumers need to make sure to always check with BBB and AMSA before you find yourself paying thousands of extra dollars for damaged or lost items. BBB has more than 17,000 BBB Business Reviews on moving-related services.”

BBB and AMSA offer the following checklist for finding a trustworthy moving company:

Research the company thoroughly.  While state regulations vary, all interstate movers must, at minimum, be licensed by the federal government and are assigned a motor carrier number you can verify on FMCSA’s website,www.protectyourmove.gov. 

Get at least three written in-home estimates. Not all price-quotes online or over the phone are legitimate. Keep in mind that the lowest estimate can sometimes be an unrealistic low-ball offer, which can cost you more in the end.

Know your rights. Research your rights as a consumer with either FMCSA for interstate moves or the state in which you reside for moves within that state.  Also, enlist the help of BBB or local law enforcement if the moving company fails to live up to its promises or threatens to hold your belongings hostage.  FMCSA requires interstate movers to offer arbitration to help settle disputed claims.

Consider accepting full value protection. It may cost a few dollars more up front, but it can provide some peace of mind and eliminate headaches after your move.  Purchasing full (replacement) value protection means any lost or damaged articles will be repaired or replaced, or a cash settlement will be made to repair the item or to replace it at its current market value, regardless of age.  It’s important to note that the required minimum coverage of 60 cents per pound would not cover the replacement cost, for example, of a flat panel TV if damaged in transit.  For your protection, a new interstate regulation effective May 15 requires the cost of full value protection to be included in the estimate you receive.

For more consumer news you can trust and to check out a mover near you, visit www.bbb.org and AMSA’s www.moving.org.

The warm weather is here and many consumers are looking to make home improvements while sticking to a budget. BBB advises consumers to balance cost effectiveness with energy efficiency, as more efficient windows, doors and skylights can make a big difference in energy consumption over time.

Start by looking for products that carry the Energy Performance Ratings label from the National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC). The label can help determine how well a product will perform its key functions - helping to keep your home cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter, keeping out wind, and resisting condensation. By using the information contained on the label, builders and consumers can reliably compare one product with another, and make informed decisions.

As with any home improvement project, it’s important to make sure you are dealing with a reputable contractor and reputable materials. BBB encourages consumers to consult with their home contractor to see that all energy performance materials carry this label.

If you are looking for a well insulated room, check the window’s U-Factor. During the cold winter months, you’ll want to make sure your windows are trapping heat. U-Factor ratings generally fall between 0.20 and 1.20. The lower the U-value, the greater a window’s resistance to heat flow and the better its insulating value.

Is your room sunny and bright? The Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC) rates how much solar radiation is admitted through the window. SHGC is expressed as a number between 0 and 1. The lower a window’s solar heat gain coefficient, the less solar heat it transmits in the house.

Are you looking for a well lit room or one that’s on the dimmer side? Visible Transmittance is an optical property that indicates the amount of visible light transmitted through the window. VT is expressed as a number between 0 and 1. The higher the VT, the more light is transmitted.

Make sure your window doesn’t give off any unwanted breeziness. Heat loss and gain occur by Air Leakage through cracks in the window assembly. The lower the AL, the less air will pass through cracks in the window assembly.

Check to see that your window will be free from any water leakage. The higher the Condensation Resistance (CR) rating, the better that product is at resisting condensation formation. While this rating cannot predict condensation, it can provide a credible method of comparing the potential of various products for condensation formation. CR is expressed as a number between 1 and 100.

For more home improvement tips you can trust, visit www.bbb.org and for more information on the Energy Performance Ratings label, visit www.nfrc.org. 

Seventy-six percent of Americans are stressed about money, according to research by the American Psychological Association, and more than two-thirds of employers say that contributed to higher health costs, employee absences and lost productivity. The President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability recommends financial literacy education for employees to combat this growing trend.

Regardless of the kind of business you own or the financial benefits you provide, every employee should have access to financial literacy planning tips. By giving employees the tools they need to succeed in their personal finances, you are giving your business the gift of dependable employees who aren’t distracted by personal financial woes.

“Providing your employees with financial tools and counseling is the best way to ensure that your employees won’t need to miss time working due to unplanned financial stressors,” notes Melanie Duquesnel, president and CEO, Better Business Bureau Serving Eastern Michigan. “By educating employees on their employee benefits, the importance of financial stability, and what to do when life throws you a financial curve ball, your employees will be able to focus on their work at hand and remain stable, reliable workers.”

Employers do not need big budgets to provide financial literacy education. Check with your local BBB to see if they offer financial literacy programs or if one of the many BBB Accredited Businesses in your area can assist (banks, credit unions, financial planners and others in the sector often offer this kind of programming).

BBB also offers “Managing Credit – Made Simpler” for online learning. The Small Business version helps business owners manage credit and business debt, while the Consumer version offers three tracts depending on your financial situation. BBB has also partnered with FINRA Investor Education Foundation to provide assistance to consumers on investment issues and avoiding investment scams.

For more business tips you can trust or to check out businesses in your area, visit www.bbb.org.

 

BBB, Cintas and GEEP Recycle Thousands of Pounds of Paper & E-Waste

Southfield, MI – May 1, 2012 – On April 21, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) Serving Detroit & Eastern Michigan and its partners Cintas and Global Electric Electronic Processing (GEEP) hosted their most successful ‘Secure Your ID’ Day to date. Residents and small businesses packed the BBB parking lot – many arriving hours before the gates opened – to destroy and recycle their sensitive paper documents and electronic waste. The event hosted 1,209 cars, double the amount served at the previous events, as consumers responded to the call to protect themselves and the environment.

Overall, the event saw the following results:

• Cintas:

• 50,000 pounds/25 tons of documents shredded and recycled
  Saving:

425 Trees                

75 Cubic Yards of Landfill    

50 Barrels of Oil                                              

174,825 Gallons of Water

• GEEP:

• 30,000 pounds of e-waste destroyed and recycled
  Saving:

71,565 metric tons of greenhouse gases           

The equivalent of planting 5,400 trees or the annual emissions of 3 large SUVs

 “The massive turn out shows that we’ve been very successful in warning the public that identity theft is a real and serious concern; we were thrilled to see consumers responding in such great numbers,” said Melanie Duquesnel, president & CEO, Better Business Bureau serving Detroit & Eastern Michigan. “With our partners’ help, we were able to not only protect the public, but also the environment by safely recycling thousands of pounds of waste.”

The public also supported the BBB Educational Foundation throughout the event by donating more than $3,000 for the BBB’s educational programs. In addition, GreenPath Debt Solutions provided on-site certified counselors to offer debt and credit advice to attendees.

Secure your ID Day was also generously supported by our partners at Fox 2 and Etkin Equities.