Better Business Bureau (BBB) is a scam

Wow OP

I would not worry about it, only previous generations stroke themselves into thinking the BBB means jack shit.

Very True OP...... Was a member for a few years.. then I quit paying the hush money.... Sent me a letter than I had complaints... I asked for proof, never heard back.... its all BS... They want money, The Chamber wants money, the City Main Street Association wants money... geez..... its all bs..

Protection money. Second oldest racket there is. All they did was legalize it.

I deal with over 5,000 clients a year, and have been in business since 2002, so 8 complaints is nothing, which were pathetic and people looking for free $$$. You would be amazed at the entitlement attitude with some people at times. Its like eating your steak dinner, leaving then calling a few days later and complaining you want all your money back because it was horrible and if you don't give them their full refund they will write the BBB.

Kind of like freemasonry's "club" you mean? Either that, or you really are a shitty entrepreneur.

Interesting read on just how corrupt the BBB is.........

[edit] Rating system and accreditation

Until 2008, the BBB rated companies "satisfactory" or "unsatisfactory". Starting in 2008, the BBB would allow companies who did not meet satisfactory standards to be listed as "accredited" if they paid membership dues and met certain standards. A number of chapter presidents expressed concern that disturbed companies could use the label to hide problems.[2]

On June 1, 2009, the BBB moved to a new system based on a school-style A-F rating system.[4] The details are mostly confidential, but company officials say it involves 17 factors. They say that one factor, which accounts for four percent of the rating, is "accreditation" or membership.[5] Companies cannot achieve a 100% or A+ rating without paying membership dues, which begin at $350 and go up to $10,000 for large companies. That aspect has been criticized as biased towards members.[6]

If a business chooses not to provide detailed information for reasons of protecting information considered largely private, the BBB will give them a very low rating.[7] A low rating due solely to a company not providing information would read: "BBB does not have sufficient background information on this business."

A BBB official says that the new rating system gives businesses more incentive to make improvements.[5] Traffic on the BBB websites increased by double-digit increases.[5] The Attorney General of Connecticut has demanded that BBB the stop using the system, calling it "potentially harmful and misleading" to consumers.[8]

In 2010, 20/20, an ABC network news magazine, reported irregularities in BBB ratings. They reported that a man created two dummy companies which received A+ ratings as soon as he had paid the membership fee. They also reported that business owners were told that the only way to improve their rating was by paying the fee. In one case a C was turned to an A immediately after a payment and in another case a C- became an A+. Chef Wolfgang Puck said that some of his businesses receive Fs because he refuses to pay a fee. Ritz Carlton, which does not belong either, also receives Fs.[8]

In response, the president of the Council of Better Business Bureaus has stated the BBB ratings system will cease awarding points to businesses for being BBB members.[9] The national BBB's executive committee took several steps to address the public’s perception of the ratings system. The BBB ratings system no longer gives additional points to businesses who pay accredition fees. They also implemented a system to handle complaints about BBB sales practices and planned a review of their accreditation process.[10]
[edit] Criticisms

The BBB does not recommend specific businesses to consumers, but simply supplies information.[3] Regarding how a group funded by businesses can be fair to consumers, the bureau's website states that its value to businesses depends on its neutrality.[11]

BBBs have been accused of unduly protecting companies.[12] The BBB responds by, at a minimum, notating complaints on the "Reliability Report" section of its web sites.[13] If a branch does not act reasonably on behalf of a consumer, a complaint may be filed with the Federal Trade Commission.

Because of its requirement that businesses pay dues and tribute, this has engendered complaints that the BBB compiles scores based upon their ability to collect money from businesses, and not upon business performance.
[edit] Criticism on case resolutions

It has been reported that the BBB encourages and solicits money from the very businesses they have been monitoring. This has not been beneficial to the customer as expected it to be.[14]

On December 22, 2010, William Mitchell, CEO of the Los Angeles BBB, and originator of the BBB Letter Grading System, resigned[15] as a result of an internal investigation conducted by the CBBB[16].
[edit] References

[link to www.thebluesmokeband.com]

I've been burned by bbb too. Stopped paying their hush money and found my rating sank from A to D within a year after only a couple complaints that did not make sense.

Sounds like we need a BBB for the BBB. Most of my clients have never even heard of the BBB. Time for the BBB to close up shop. It would be difficult to find someone younger than 30 that even knows what they are.

Turn it around on 'em.

Write the BBB a letter on your new, official letterhead (call your company something like the 'Standards In Ratings, Inc.'

In your letter, say you have received 800,000 complaints against the BBB and their fucked up ratings system. However, should the BBB care to join SIR; and pay the nominal $100,000 per year membership fee, you'll see to it that all the complaints are covered.

Or, offer them a 'Platinum' membership for $500,000 where they are guaranteed to receive at least 5000 'Positive' ratings from the public.

BBB is a fraud pure and simple.They are part of the NWO.They supported nafta and gatt and all this free trade shit that ruined America.Fucking traitors.

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I wonder what happens to all the positive reviews a company receives thru the BBB. Oh thats right the BBB doesn't care about the consumer, they care about making the money with their legalized scam.

These scammers will not return my e-mails or phone calls. How does one raise their rating from a F status? Oh thats right by paying them $$$ and becoming a member, then all your troubles will go away. This is a mob style business.

If I remember correctly you are the business that advocates checking the credit report of potential employees?
You are the one who recently commented on a public forum
about a potential applicants perfume?

You got what you deserve. Look bitch I've got no mercy
for you. I'm going to your BBB competitor.

The computer parts company MSI now has a sticker on the motherboard boxes with the BBB logo.

i might create a bureau called ZZZzzz - simply meaning "stay asleep zombie and pay me $"

Put all the information together and put it up on a website or something.

Show them the truth.

I dealt with those jackasses for years in my former retail business. They are an extortion racket.

They also falsify claims. I sold out my retail business years ago, got a management job, and started an affiliate small side business. I have no customers, period. Just making a little vacation money from affiliates and online ads from websites I run. The only reason I even have a business liscense is for tax purposes.

Anyway, there are currently 8 BBB complaints against my side business from my "customers". LOL. Guess this is like those elections where dead people vote.

I get a call from them 2-3x a year asking me to join. My answer is always no, because the BBB has been trivialized to the point that they don't matter anymore.

I figure if a customer has a problem with my business and is going to get all passive aggressive enough to go to the BBB about it, then they're not a customer I wanted anyway.

BBB, you don't matter anymore.