Better Business Bureaus Ten New Years Resolutions for a Consumer-Savvy 2015 The BBB recommends the following New Years resolutions to become a more savvy consumer in 2015: 1. Look for the BBB Seal of Accreditation and always check a business out with BBB prior to making a purchase. Over 400,000 businesses bear the BBB Seal of Accreditation and meet our standards; you can find the Seal on Web sites and at business locations. The BBB doesnt just report on Accredited businesses, you can locate trustworthy businesses by visiting bbb.org to view free BBB Business Reviews for over 5 million businesses across North America. 2. Read the fine print-especially for free trial offers. Many consumers complain to the BBB after signing up for a free trial offer online that resulted in repeated charges to their credit or debit cards sometimes amounting to as much as hundreds of dollars every month. Read the terms and conditions of any free trial offer before handing over credit or debit card numbers. 3. Get everything in writing. Dont just take a business word for it. Get every verbal agreement in writing to limit miscommunication and misunderstandings between your expectations and what the business delivers. 4. Beware of job offers to make easy money. Beware of any job offer, work-at-home scheme or business opportunity that promises big money for little work and no experience. Look up companies at bbb.org before you apply for any job. 5. Keep your computer safe. If you havent already, install anti-virus software onto your computer and dont forget to regularly check for software and operating system updates and patches. Dont open attachments or click on links in e-mails unless you can confirm the e-mail came from someone you trust. 6. Never wire money to someone you dont know. Many scams require that the victim wire money back to the scammers. Tracking money sent via MoneyGram or Western Union is extremely difficult. Even more troubling for victims is that its nearly impossible to get your money back. 7. Fight identity theft. Shred paper documents that include sensitive financial data and dispose of computers, cell phones and digital data safely. Your BBB offers tips and checklists on what to shred, and joins MembersAlliance Credit Union to host two free shred events each year. 8. Fight fake check fraud. Thanks to advances in printing technology, scammers have the ability to create very real-looking phony checks. Educate yourself on the common types of check fraud and be extremely wary of checks that come with claims that youve won the lottery, are eligible for a government grant or have landed a job as a secret shopper when you never applied. 9. Ask the BBB for help. File a complaint with your BBB if you have a disagreement with a business or have been ripped off by a scammer. Your complaint will become part of the business’ record and may help others in dealing with that company. 10. Create a budget and stick to it. If youre a cash-strapped consumer, setting a budget can help you stay afloat in 2015. The BBB has additional advice on how to create a budget to help you get out of debt and stay out of debt at bbb.org
Posted on: Wed, 31 Dec 2014 04:18:48 +0000
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