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The BBB Reaches Out To Our Soldiers As They Reach American Soil
The Better Business Bureau of Southern Colorado, along with many area
businesses are deeply grateful to the men and women of our armed forces who have
been overseas fighting for our freedom.
We want our military to know we are here to serve you and your families. Our
mission is to ensure that local businesses act with integrity and ethics. We
also report and investigate companies that do not abide by our standards. Sadly,
it is these companies that prey on those of you who are either new to the area
or who have been away, serving our country.
Here are a few scams to watch out for:
- Advance fee loans: legitimate lenders never guarantee you’ll get a loan
before you apply.
- Be wary of “work at home” schemes, such as stuffing envelopes, reading books,
or doing medical billing though the internet. These companies entice you with
promises of lucrative jobs, but in reality, you end up paying them.
- Avoid payday loans. They charge extraordinarily high fees. There are better
borrowing sources.
- Identity theft has become a huge problem. Do not give out any personal
information such as your social security number or bank account numbers unless
it is a company you have done business with. If you believe your identity may
have been stolen call the Federal Trade Commission’s hotline at 1-877-IDTHEFT.
And here are some solutions:
- The Better Business Bureau operates an autoline for all branches of our
military to protect themselves against fraudulent dealers and practices. Call us
at 719-636-1155 to get the numbers.
- If you have any doubts about doing business with a group, organization,
charity or company, you can speak to a representative between the hours of 9:00
a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Through our automated system, you may receive a reliability
report 24 hours a day.
- You can always go to our national website at
www.bbb.org or our local
website at www.bbbsc.org to
view company reports or to get additional information.
Carol Odell, CEO of the BBB of Southern Colorado says, “We are thrilled to
welcome back our soldiers.” We want them to know that while they have been
overseas protecting Americans, we have been working here at home to protect them
against unsavory con artists and scams.”
The BBB continues to develop programs specially aimed at helping the military
community and the special challenges they face. If you or your dependents need
any assistance, please call us or email us at the BBB of Southern Colorado. We
are here for you.
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