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News for Better Business Bureau Accredited Businesses

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BBB received a fax in late May offering 6 day/5 night trips to Cancun, Jamaica or Hawaii for $119. The price included our choice of a 4-5 star resort, meals, drinks, unlimited activities, and free rooms for kids. But Wait! There’s More! If we were one of the first 100 to respond, we also received an incredible 60% off our airfare!

All we had to do was call (855) 883-1867. The fax did not list the name of any company.

How could we pass this up? We called the number and were asked for our Reservation Code (WinterFun2014). We were told there were packages still available for 2 or 4 people. When we asked for the name of the company offering the trips, the call was abruptly ended - and not by us.

The phone number listed on the fax is identified in BBB records with Express Vacations Center (Express). Apparently, Express has issues with their phone service as many consumers have also experienced disconnected calls when trying to find out why they never received their vacation packages.

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BBB Serving Greater Cleveland June 2014

INSIDE: B2B Discounts for BBB Accredited BusinessesLocal Woman Loses $6500 in Puppy Scam

Businesses Lose Accreditation New Directors◊

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6 Days/5 Nights in Hawaii for $119? We Didn’t Buy It - Neither Should You

Grab this unique opportunity to advertise your company as a BBB Accredited Business that can be trusted. This exclusive member benefit will place your full color logo on BOTH sides of one of the BBB Buses traveling throughout Cuyahoga County. Your cost of $450 per month covers advertising placement on one bus (both sides) and all artwork charges.

Each of the two BBB branded buses will display only 4 Accredited Businesses, once on each side. Both BBB buses will run from the suburbs to downtown on varying routes -- one on the east side, the other on the west with an estimated 2,750,000 impressions each month.

Space is limited so reserve TODAY! Scheduling through June of 2015 on a First Come, First Served basis. Don’t miss out on the months you want! No artwork charges. Discounts for 6 or more months.

New! BBB Bus Advertising Service to the Community

Greater Cleveland BBB Activity Report From January - May 2014

Reports issued on companies/charities..................

Customer complaints filed..............

Online Accredited Business Directory listings viewed.........................

bbb.org/cleveland visits...............

Advertising review cases initiated.......

The Short List For the lexophiles in our

audience:

A thief who stole a calendar got twelve months.

A boiled egg is hard to

beat.

When you’ve seen one shopping center you’ve

seen a mall.

The guy who fell onto an upholstery

machine is now fully recovered.

No matter how much you push the

envelope, it’ll still be stationery.

To write with a broken pencil is pointless.

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Follow Us On:

The travel fax that was sent to the BBB office.

Are You Reading This?So are the nearly 3,000 other BBB Accredited Businesses that receive the Market Monitor delivered directly to their mailboxes every other month. Your BBB is offering you an opportunity to advertise to your peers through a full color insert in the well-read Market Monitor. You can choose a half page ($200), a full page ($350), or both sides of a full page ($600).

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to reach your fellow BBB Accredited Businesses and their employees. Space is limited. Reserve today!

June 2014

An Arizona woman complained: “...when I did not receive my package within the 5-7 business days I called over 18 times and was hung up on over and over.” And yet another from Cody in California who paid $398 for his vacation: “Then I asked what time and days they would be open (to book the trip) he said I was asking too many questions and started cursing at me saying F*** Y** B**** and many other profanities. He then hung up on me and when I tried to call back someone would pick up the phone then hang up. I called back a few more times and the same thing happened. I figured I probably won’t get my money back as I can’t even reach customer service since the number no longer works, it just rings and rings then an automated voice says ‘Now exiting system’ and hangs up. The only number that does work is the main line 855-883-1867 and that will just get someone who will scream obscenities at you and hang up if you ask any questions.”

Express Vacations Centers’ website, expressvacationscenter.com, was registered from Australia in February, 2014. The BBB in Orlando issues a “D+” rating on the business and has received 7 complaints. At this time, BBB does not have a valid address for Express and, consequently, is unable to pursue the complaints.

Well, so much for our dirt cheap vacation. If you get faxes at your office touting unbelievably low prices for fabulous vacations, check it out with us. We will make sure you don’t get taken for a ride.

BBB also offers these tips:

• Don’t be fooled by low cost or no cost vacation offers. They typically fail to disclose all related fees and have many restrictions. • Obtain all company information. Avoid travel offers received in the mail, over the phone, fax, email, or at a presentation that do not disclose the company’s name, location, and contacts.

• Get everything in writing before providing any payment. If you attend a presentation for a timeshare or travel club, make sure all verbal promises are provided in writing. Review all terms and conditions carefully before making a decision.

• Go to bbb.org to check out the business.

• Read the fine print. Make sure you understand all terms and conditions of a travel offer as well as any cancellation and refund policies.

6 Days/5 Nights - Continued From Front

NEW! FedEx Shipping Earn discounts up to 26% with FedEx on shipping and office services through through the FedEx Advantage discount program. It’s free to enroll. Simply go to: advantagemember.visionary.com/6920/ to sign up and enter the passcode 39HF6R (case sensitive).

Pre-Employment Background ReportsInstant online criminal checks for under $10 each. Other reports also discounted. Monthly fee waived (save $120 a year!), $100 enrollment fee waived. Call IntelliCorp at (800) 539-3717.

Document Shredding - All Ohio Secure Shred will shred documents on site for $25/month for one container. Also, one-time bulk purge for 10 cents/lb. $50 minimum. Call (330) 659-0840 or (888) 747-3394.

Phone Service - Easton Telecom - Rates ranging from 2.5¢ - 3.5¢/minute for long distance calls, toll-free lines as low as 1.79¢/minute. 5% discount off most retail services. Contact Jim Butler at (800) 222-8122.

Payroll Service - Heartland Payroll Co. - Savings of as much as 50% on payroll fees. Call Brian Nelson at (440) 371-5245.

Some member discount programs generate revenue which BBB reinvests

into the organization’s operations.

B2B Discounts for BBB Accredited Businesses

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Local Woman Loses $6500 to Puppy Scam

Jessica was planning to surprise her husband with an English Bulldog puppy, but the surprise was on her. Jessica responded to a Facebook offer from a woman who was moving and was willing to give the puppy to someone - free of cost. English Bulldog puppies can sell for several thousand dollars which makes the offer of a free puppy even more tempting.

All Jessica needed to do to get her puppy was pay for the shipping. That’s where the scam began. The shipping service required payment in advance and kept adding on charges. Before she realized she had been conned, Jessica gave the shipping service nearly $6,500.

Puppy scams abound online where scammers can easily post pictures of adorable doggies available at little or no cost. As in Jessica’s case, the “breeder” or owner of the dog only communicates by email, text or electronic messaging - seldom by phone. Payment must be made by wire transfer, Green Dot MoneyPak card, or other form of electronic payment that is virtually untraceable. Buyers are hit up for shipping fees, crate fees, vet bills and assorted expenses which must be paid before the pet is delivered. BBB offers the following tips to avoid scams when you’re looking to buy a pet:

• Beware of ads with multiple misspellings and grammatical errors; many pet scams come from overseas and scammers often do not have a firm grasp on the English language. • Do not send or wire money to people you do not know. • If purchasing a pedigreed pet, be sure the breeder provides documentation of the parents’ registration with the appropriate kennel club. This ensures that the pet is in fact a legitimate pure-bred animal. It is then your responsibility to register your pet with the appropriate kennel club.

As for Jessica, she never received her puppy and has not recovered her money.

Local Businesses Lose Accreditation

At its February 14th meeting, the Accreditation Committee of the BBB Board of Directors voted to revoke the BBB accreditation of the following businesses: Billy Bomb Squad Pest Control of Cleveland lost its BBB accreditation for failure to maintain a required Pest Control License with the Ohio State Department of Agriculture. Hogg Heating and Cooling, Inc., a Parma business, was revoked for failure to resolve two customer complaints. The business also failed to obtain a required HVAC license with the Ohio Construction Industry Licensing Board. Titan Cement Co., Inc., located in Cleveland, neglected to satisfy a judgment awarded to a customer in Small Claims Court. BBB Accreditation Standards contain an “integrity’ standard that obligates accredited businesses to pay court ordered judgments. Lifeline Home Health Services had its accreditation revoked after BBB received complaints from employees who had not been paid and had not received W-2 forms, thereby violating the integrity standard. This Cleveland business did not respond to repeated BBB inquiries. Municipal Services of America Corporation did not resolve two complaints brought to its attention. This Willoughby Hills business also failed to arbitrate one of the complaints when BBB determined this step was necessary to resolve the dispute.

BBB Welcomes New Directors!

Kristopher Toth is President and Founder of Toth Painting Solutions, a professional painting service company. Kris is currently President Elect of NARI and on the Board of Directors at the Brecksville Chamber of Commerce. He

was the 2012 NARI Member of the year and 2013 NARI Board Member Rookie of the year. He enjoys gardening, music, and golfing.

Ella Hochstetler is a Manager of Customer Service Operations at Dominion East Ohio Gas. She is a member of the National Association of Credit Management. Ella is a treasurer for Cub Scout Pack 3401 and a Fundraising chair for Grizzly Fast Pitch. In her free time, she enjoys boating and reading.

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Sign Up For Free BBB Scam Alerts!

Text SCAMto 24587

There is no fee to sign up for BBB Scam Alerts, but your carrier’s text messaging

rates do apply.

The Market MonitorBetter Business Bureau2800 Euclid Ave., 4th Fl.Cleveland, OH 44115-2408

The Market Monitor (ISSN 1085-5122). June 2014. Volume 9 No. 3. Published bimonthly in February, April, June, August, October and December by the Better Business Bureau, Inc. 2800 Euclid Ave., 4th Floor, Cleveland, OH 44115-2408, Periodicals postage paid at Cleveland, OH. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Market Monitor, 2800 Euclid Ave., 4th Fl, Cleveland, OH 44115-2408.

Periodicals Postage Paid

June 2014

Improve your business in just 30 minutes with BBB Flash Webinars!

Enhance Your Business With This Free App!

Are You Making The Most of Your BBB Accreditation?These two members-only programs will help grow your business for FREE!

This BBB branded program delivers motivated customers right into your hands, literally! Using a geolocating app loaded on your smart phone, you can receive a request for service from nearby consumers in need.

If you haven’t registered for BBBASAP yet – the process is easy. Simply log into your AB login page and select BBBASAP from the list on the left, or visit the BBBASAP page on our website, BBBASAP.com. Have questions? Call Brigid at 216-623-8964 x206.

You and your employees are invited to tune in to these FREE, 25-30 minute webinars that get straight to the point and cover important details about topics that concern all of our Accredited Businesses. So grab your computer and let your BBB advance your business while you enjoy your morning coffee!

Interested in presenting a BBB Flash Webinar? Have questions? Contact Brigid at 216-623-8964 x206 or brigid@cleveland.bbb.org.

“I wanted to thank you for putting on the seminar, it was entertaining and educational. I enjoyed it and look forward to the next one.” - Spencer Weeks, Owner - MetroPet Veterinary Clinic

Upcoming BBB Flash Webinars

June 26th - “The Pros & Cons of Social Media” - What to share on the scoreboard and what to keep under your hat. Jim Drozdowski, Vice President and General Counsel for North Coast Container Corporation will discuss the do’s anddont’s regarding Social Media

July 17th - “Marketing 101: Who Are You?” presented by Greg Rosenberg, Business Communications Solutions