Our sister BBB in Fort Wayne put together an excellent article with tips and tricks for avoiding scams and other shady offers on eBay. Follow the link to check it out! It's a great read for anyone who uses the eBay marketplace.
eBay…A great tool for buying or selling (click to read article)
Friday, June 11, 2010
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
With great pagerank comes great responsibility.
Often times we are asked to delineate the benefits of BBB Accreditation. There are benefits that have always been true, but in the Internet age, there are some new and exciting strengths that the BBB is able to offer.
One of those is our strength in Google rankings. With a higher pagerank, people performing Google searches are more likely to find a relevant BBB Report as a highly placed result. This is something that benefits both business and consumer alike!
Our fellow BBB in South-East Texas has an excellent article they have written explaining and summarizing this benefit and how it works:
Read the full article here: http://southeasttexas.bbb.org/article/the-power-of-bbborg-19079
One of those is our strength in Google rankings. With a higher pagerank, people performing Google searches are more likely to find a relevant BBB Report as a highly placed result. This is something that benefits both business and consumer alike!
Our fellow BBB in South-East Texas has an excellent article they have written explaining and summarizing this benefit and how it works:
What do American Idol, Craigslist, ESPN, iTunes and MSN have in common with BBB?
They're some of the Web sites with a Google PageRank of 8 (out of 10).
Let us explain how great this is for you as a BBB Accredited Business.
Google's Web site states: "PageRank reflects our view of the importance of web pages by considering more than 500 million variables and 2 billion terms. Pages that we believe are important pages receive a higher PageRank and are more likely to appear at the top of the search results."
Read the full article here: http://southeasttexas.bbb.org/article/the-power-of-bbborg-19079
Monday, May 17, 2010
Have you considered BBB Accreditation?
Are you a company doing business in the Chicagoland area? If so, You should consider BBB Accreditation!
BBB Accreditation confirms your commitment to honest, ethical business practices!
Consumers prefer to do business with Companies They Can Trust!
To learn more about BBB Accreditation, or to apply for Accreditation, please complete the questionnaire at the following link: http://www.bbb.org/chicago/join
A Business Relations Representative will be in touch with you soon!
BBB Accreditation confirms your commitment to honest, ethical business practices!
Consumers prefer to do business with Companies They Can Trust!
To learn more about BBB Accreditation, or to apply for Accreditation, please complete the questionnaire at the following link: http://www.bbb.org/chicago/join
A Business Relations Representative will be in touch with you soon!
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Free Business Seminar for Small Businesses
ENTREPRENEURS to connect with small business loans and important business RESOURCES, Thursday March 11
Today, the City of Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) announced the first in a series of four free business seminars offered throughout the year geared towards providing entrepreneurs with access to resources and financing.
The first seminar will be offered on Thursday, March 11, 2010 at Olive Harvey College, 10001 S. Woodlawn Ave. at 5:30 p.m.
At the event, entrepreneurs can connect with nearly 30 government and non-profit agencies that assist small businesses. They can also connect with small business loan resources, financial incentives, learn about licensing or tax requirements and more. Three workshops will also be offered on how to write a business plan, how to financing your business, and business marketing.
“Anyone interested in starting a business today needs to know how to gain access to capital and put together a business plan," said Commissioner of the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection, Norma I. Reyes. "Taking advantage of the resources that are available today is so critical, especially in this economy. These seminars connect people with agencies and programs that provide lending opportunities, assistance with business planning and information that will help a business owner get on the right track."
A local Chicago business owner will be the evenings keynote speaker, Mr. Joseph Caldwell of Tailorite Cleaners, who will share his business success story. Caldwell was the first African American contracted to clean the White Sox uniforms which he still services that contract. He currently owns 3 plants and has just turned all his equipment green, making him a “green business.” Caldwell is a staple in the community and is an advocate for small businesses; he serves as Chairman for Chatham Business Association, and serves as a member of the board of Seaway National Bank.
At the event, 15 entrepreneurs will graduate from the "Business Start –Up" program and presented with certificates. The Business Start -Up Certificate program, offered by BACP and City Colleges of Chicago, is a free program for entrepreneurs that offers a curriculum of classes that cover all the basics of starting or growing a business.
To encourage business growth and support entrepreneurs BACP offers business educational classes twice a week that are free and open to the public. The Business Workshop calendar and information on the Business Start-Up Certificate program is available online at www.cityofchicago.org/bacp
Business Works Seminars will be offered throughout the year:
Thursdays, 5:30 pm -9:00 pm
March 11, 2010
Olive Harvey College
10001 S. Woodlawn
June 17, 2010
Wright College
4300 N. Narragansett
August 19, 2010
West Side Technical Institute
2800 S. Western Ave
November 18, 2010
Malcolm X College
1900 W. Van Buren St.
Today, the City of Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) announced the first in a series of four free business seminars offered throughout the year geared towards providing entrepreneurs with access to resources and financing.
The first seminar will be offered on Thursday, March 11, 2010 at Olive Harvey College, 10001 S. Woodlawn Ave. at 5:30 p.m.
At the event, entrepreneurs can connect with nearly 30 government and non-profit agencies that assist small businesses. They can also connect with small business loan resources, financial incentives, learn about licensing or tax requirements and more. Three workshops will also be offered on how to write a business plan, how to financing your business, and business marketing.
“Anyone interested in starting a business today needs to know how to gain access to capital and put together a business plan," said Commissioner of the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection, Norma I. Reyes. "Taking advantage of the resources that are available today is so critical, especially in this economy. These seminars connect people with agencies and programs that provide lending opportunities, assistance with business planning and information that will help a business owner get on the right track."
A local Chicago business owner will be the evenings keynote speaker, Mr. Joseph Caldwell of Tailorite Cleaners, who will share his business success story. Caldwell was the first African American contracted to clean the White Sox uniforms which he still services that contract. He currently owns 3 plants and has just turned all his equipment green, making him a “green business.” Caldwell is a staple in the community and is an advocate for small businesses; he serves as Chairman for Chatham Business Association, and serves as a member of the board of Seaway National Bank.
At the event, 15 entrepreneurs will graduate from the "Business Start –Up" program and presented with certificates. The Business Start -Up Certificate program, offered by BACP and City Colleges of Chicago, is a free program for entrepreneurs that offers a curriculum of classes that cover all the basics of starting or growing a business.
To encourage business growth and support entrepreneurs BACP offers business educational classes twice a week that are free and open to the public. The Business Workshop calendar and information on the Business Start-Up Certificate program is available online at www.cityofchicago.org/bacp
Business Works Seminars will be offered throughout the year:
Thursdays, 5:30 pm -9:00 pm
March 11, 2010
Olive Harvey College
10001 S. Woodlawn
June 17, 2010
Wright College
4300 N. Narragansett
August 19, 2010
West Side Technical Institute
2800 S. Western Ave
November 18, 2010
Malcolm X College
1900 W. Van Buren St.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Your BBB, a great place to find Trusted local businesses!
Many people who use the BBB think that our only, or primary service is to receive and work with consumer complaints.
However, did you know that the BBB is a great place to find a trustworthy business? At any given moment, the Chicago BBB offers extensive Rosters of BBB Accredited businesses. Each of these businesses has made a commitment to following the highest ethical marketplace standards, and each has passed a rigorous review process by The BBB, prior to being accepted into Accreditation. Furthermore, each business must maintain our standards in order to remain Accredited.
What this means to the consumer is an up to date list of trustworthy businesses, searchable in a number of ways, perfect for the discerning consumer looking to do their research prior to doing business with a company.
Looking for a reputable used car dealer? Start with Trust by clicking here!
Need a new furnace installed? Find a BBB Accredited HVAC company in your area!
Locked out of your home or car, and need to check a locksmith? You can even search for a reputable business on your mobile device at http://m.bbb.org
You can even narrow the results to find businesses nearest to you by zip code.
So remember, if you are looking for a business you can Trust, Start with Trust here, at your Chicago BBB!
However, did you know that the BBB is a great place to find a trustworthy business? At any given moment, the Chicago BBB offers extensive Rosters of BBB Accredited businesses. Each of these businesses has made a commitment to following the highest ethical marketplace standards, and each has passed a rigorous review process by The BBB, prior to being accepted into Accreditation. Furthermore, each business must maintain our standards in order to remain Accredited.
What this means to the consumer is an up to date list of trustworthy businesses, searchable in a number of ways, perfect for the discerning consumer looking to do their research prior to doing business with a company.
Looking for a reputable used car dealer? Start with Trust by clicking here!
Need a new furnace installed? Find a BBB Accredited HVAC company in your area!
Locked out of your home or car, and need to check a locksmith? You can even search for a reputable business on your mobile device at http://m.bbb.org
You can even narrow the results to find businesses nearest to you by zip code.
So remember, if you are looking for a business you can Trust, Start with Trust here, at your Chicago BBB!
Thursday, February 25, 2010
BBB Advises Watch for Haitian Relief Scammers And Give Wisely
"A major security software company, Symantec Corp., said it spotted a suspicious e-mail with the subject line "Make Your Donations Now," claiming to be from the British Red Cross Society. The e-mail, which has several spelling errors, asks for donations on behalf of Haiti. It also asks people to wire the money through a Western Union money transfer. The British Red Cross Society has confirmed that they never sent out such an e-mail."
We have a release coming out soon with more info on this scam, but for now this is just a reminder to always be wary with tragedies such as the earthquake in Haiti. Scammers always seek to capitalize on people's generosity during such times, and consumers must remain vigilant and ensure the organization with whom they choose to donate is legitimate.
For in depth advice and some information on safe giving, please visit a special page our National site has up for just this purpose - http://www.bbb.org/us/haiti
As always, please remember to check with us first!
We have a release coming out soon with more info on this scam, but for now this is just a reminder to always be wary with tragedies such as the earthquake in Haiti. Scammers always seek to capitalize on people's generosity during such times, and consumers must remain vigilant and ensure the organization with whom they choose to donate is legitimate.
For in depth advice and some information on safe giving, please visit a special page our National site has up for just this purpose - http://www.bbb.org/us/haiti
As always, please remember to check with us first!
Our Top 10 Scams of 2009
Scammers in 2009 followed the financial woes of individuals as they preyed on people's difficult economic conditions and concerns about the general economy, according to the Better Business Bureau's summary of dishonest business dealings for the past year.
"We've seen scammers follow the money trail and target the desperate emotions of people," said Steve J. Bernas, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau serving Chicago and Northern Illinois. "This year the Top 3 scams were directly related to personal finances. Almost two-thirds of all scams for 2009, in terms of the number of web searches and inquiries were: #1 Work-At-Home schemes, #2 Credit Repair scams, and #3 Grant Locating and Government Job-Finding offers."
See the list and read more at our News Center, here:
http://chicago.bbb.org/article/personal-finances-scams-lead-09-top-ten-14360
"We've seen scammers follow the money trail and target the desperate emotions of people," said Steve J. Bernas, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau serving Chicago and Northern Illinois. "This year the Top 3 scams were directly related to personal finances. Almost two-thirds of all scams for 2009, in terms of the number of web searches and inquiries were: #1 Work-At-Home schemes, #2 Credit Repair scams, and #3 Grant Locating and Government Job-Finding offers."
See the list and read more at our News Center, here:
http://chicago.bbb.org/article/personal-finances-scams-lead-09-top-ten-14360
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