Why can the BBB stop rip-offs and scams?
Many times, the BBB does. Although the BBB system does not have legal and policing powers, BBBs provide information about marketplace fraud through reports to the public, media releases and alerts. BBBs work closely with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies, providing them with valuable information on potentially fraudulent activities. Many times BBBs are the first organization to know about a developing scam and they alert authorities and the public. When a scam develops in one part of the country, the news travels quickly between BBB offices in the U.S., Canada, and Puerto Rico that in turn alert the public in their communities. The public can help to stop rip-offs and scams by contacting the BBB before they do business with an unknown company and by notifying their BBB of a potential scam. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
