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05/15/2012
The Better Business Bureau reports new activity for a phone scam that’s making the rounds in which the caller claims to be from Microsoft, a trusted household name. The caller offers to solve a computer problem or sell a software license, all in an effort to gain remote control access to the consumer’s computer.
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05/09/2012
Memorial Day is a time to honor those who serve and remember those who have died in war. But sadly, it has also become a key opportunity for scammers to target those who are serving or have served their nation, especially elderly veterans. BBB is urging consumers and donors to be on the lookout for deals that seem too good to be true, and for disreputable charities.
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05/03/2012
When a small plumbing company got an email yesterday from BBB saying they’d had a complaint filed against them, they took it seriously. After all, the company is a BBB Accredited Business and they have not had a complaint filed against them before. What they got, however, was much worse than a complaint from an unhappy customer. The email was a fake, a phishing scam that downloaded viruses on two of the small business’s computers, which had to be wiped clean in order to get rid of the malware infection. Fortunately for the plumbing company, the virus didn’t have a chance to steal any banking information.
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04/27/2012
College-bound students are full of expectations and sometimes a lot of worry about how to pay for their education. The Better Business Bureau is proud to offer welcomed assistance each year through the BBB Student of Integrity Edward A. Schmidt Memorial Scholarship, which honors students who exhibit high standards of ethical and honest behavior.
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04/23/2012
Consumers hoping to cash in on an advertised offer of “valuable Gov’t uncut sheets of money” may end up frustrated and disappointed, the Better Business Bureau warns.
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04/04/2012
This month marks National Financial Literacy Month and a good time to reassess your savings and spending patterns. The FINRA National Financial Capability Study recently looked at the spending and saving habits of Americans and came up with some startling information. The Better Business Bureau invites consumers to consider the following highlights from the study:
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04/03/2012
Fake BBB emails download malware that can steal bank information; BBB is working with FBI to stop the thieves
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03/30/2012
Consumer savvy, smart shopping and common sense all had a great year, according to the Better Business Bureau. Consumers asked BBB for help more than 103 million times in 2011, up from 87 million in 2010 and the highest rate in the organization’s 100-year history. Filings of formal complaints against businesses rose slightly for the Upstate New York region at 15,609 in 2011 up slightly from 14,416 in 2010. Across the U.S. and Canada complaints were down from 927,000 in 2011 compared to just over one million in 2010.
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03/27/2012
Millions of Americans receive a steady string of automated telephone calls from “Rachel” at Cardholder Services, who claims your “credit card interest rates may increase” or wants to help you “lower your credit card rates.” The Better Business Bureau warns consumers these robocalls often come from criminals who are trying to obtain your credit card information in order to use it for their own criminal enterprise.
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03/05/2012
Upstate New Yorkers seeing the devastation wreaked by recent tornadoes may react with generous gifts of time and money, as many have traditionally responded to disasters throughout the world. But even when needs are close to home, givers should take steps to assure themselves that their donations will go to legitimate and reputable charities and relief efforts that have the capability to help victims, cautions the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance.
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03/01/2012
Every day, consumers make important decisions about finances, health, privacy, technology and more. The Better Business Bureau is offering savvy consumers seven important tips to celebrate.
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02/22/2012
So you want to buy something online but worried you could get stung? Your instincts are right. While most people are honest, the Better Business Bureau warns consumers that buying from complete strangers online comes with risk. Feedback and reviews of products and services you could use to help make your buying decision could be misleading and online offers can lead you astray. BBB offers clues to help consumers from falling prey to a poor online purchase.
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02/17/2012
Whether you have filed your taxes already or not, now is the time to be especially guarded against tax scams. Each year the Better Business Bureau receives thousands of complaints from consumers who paid more in filing fees, service charges or extra processing fees they weren’t expecting. For these problems and others, if you’re about to file this year, the BBB advises consumers to make sure you select one of the many reputable tax preparers in our area and not to fall victim to someone unethical. If you’ve already filed, BBB is issuing an alert to beware of strange communications about your refund that appear to be coming from your bank, the IRS or an unknown solicitation.
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02/17/2012
A new email phishing scam targeting business people is using a BBB.org email address. Many target accountants and use the American Institute of CPAs logo and name. Businesses and consumers across the country are reporting this new round of phishing email scams using the BBB name and email address.
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02/09/2012
Love is in the air and you’ve most likely been exposed to an advertisement recently about buying Valentine treats or finding your own Mr. or Ms. Right. Since more and more people are turning to the Internet for special offers and to find love, the Better Business Bureau is warning consumers about posers – business and people pretending to be something or someone they’re not.
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