BBB Trivia

Your BBB handled 655 complaints last year 459 were closed resolved and we arbitrated 15 of those cases. Nationally the BBB system processed 862,128. We are very proud of our dispute resolution program and believe that keeping the lines of communication open and acting as a neutral third party is a great service we offer this community. 

Congratulations to George Dunaway with Albert Moving & Storage for the quickest correct response last month! The vision of Albert Moving & Storage is to Revolution the Way People Move™. The organization services consumer, corporate and government channels for relocations, storage, commercial distribution and records management. The family-owned business presently employs over 80 people and has operated in the moving & storage industry in Wichita Falls for over 70 years.

Answer the question to the left ASAP for your chance to be profiled in our next issue, and for those fax and snail mail folks, you can still participate. Just fax or mail your answer back to us!

Question:

What type of organization is the BBB? 1) Government Agency 2) Charity 501c(3) 3) Business Organization 501c(6) 4) Privately Owned 5) Franchise

And the Nominees are…

We would like to announce the candidates for the 2010 Better Business Bureau Torch Award for Marketplace Excellence. This year will be especially exciting because our local non-profits now have the chance to show off their achievements as well. We are excited to have them participate this year. This year’s nominees by category are:

Non-Profit

• Christ Home Place Ministries
• Christmas in Action
• Community Healthcare Center
• Hospice of Wichita Falls

Small

• Aspermont Pharmacy
• Digital Deviance
• Happy Hearts Preschool
• Mystic Floral
• Ria’s Floral
• Schreiber Upper Extremity Rehab, P.C.
• Upscale Resale

Medium

• Bobby Bounds Excavation
• German AutoKraft
• Warrior’s Way Martial Arts Academy
• Waters Ag Storage Containers Inc.

Large

• Bruckner Truck Sales
• KALCO Machine & Manufacturing Co.
• Ray Cannedy Security & Investigations
• United Supermarkets

BBB Issues Warning About Arkla-Texoma Fish Hatchery

No Free Lunch…The Arkla-Texoma Fish Hatchery has been running an ad in the Wichita Falls Times Record News for free fish. However, this is not the whole story. Once they call in, consumers are informed that they have to buy large quantities of fish in order to get the free fish. In some cases, the fish are delivered dead and the company refuses to replace them or refund the consumer’s money, according to the BBB. Most complaints claim the consumer was threatened after disputing the advertising claims or contacting the company for a refund.

The BBB has given Arkla-Texoma Fish Hatchery an F rating which is the worst rating a business can be given. The Arkla-Texoma Fish Hatchery has had complaints filed against them from consumers in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Alabama, but the North Central Texas BBB in Wichita Falls has now received complaints regarding the operations of Arkla-Texoma Fish Hatchery.

Arkla-Texoma Fish Hatchery is owned by Rex Alan Curtis of Arkansas. The BBB has not been able to contact Curtis because his address on file is not valid.

In the Wichita Falls area, several complaints have been received alleging threats from Curtis, and one consumer so far has had money taken from his account and has not heard from Curtis again.

On March 13, 2009 the Arkansas Attorney General filed charges against Rex Allen Curtis, DBA, Arkla-Texoma Fish Hatchery and the various other names he does business under. The charges filed indicate the business is in violation of the Arkansas Deceptive Trade Practices Act.

The charges filed by the Arkansas Attorney General allege that Curtis has engaged in a systematic, planned and coordinated scheme to defraud consumers. The charges also allege that he uses deceptive advertising, threatens consumers, and fails to deliver fish after payment has been received.

Curtis was also reported by KATV channel 7 out of Little Rock Arkansas; to have 40 citations for distributing fish without a proper aquatic organism license and threatening a customer.

The Aquaculture Division of the Texas Department of Agriculture has not confirmed that Curtis has a valid Aquaculture license in the State of Texas. Without this license, Curtis is not legally allowed to operate a fish farming operation in Texas. The Texas Attorney General’s office has also been contacted, and is looking into the situation.

New Phishing E-mail Posing as BBB Complaint

Beware of Bogus Emails coming from complaintsmajdivision@complaints.bbb.org

Better Business Bureau is alerting consumers and businesses about a new phishing attack that resembles an e-mail confirmation claiming the recipient has filed a complaint with BBB about a business. The malicious e-mails first came to the attention of BBB on Thursday, October 15.

When consumers file a complaint with BBB about a business, they may often receive a confirmation e-mail and subsequent follow-up e-mails from BBB on the status of their complaint. The malicious phishing e-mail attack is designed to mimic a confirmation e-mail from BBB and includes the full name of the recipient and the name of the company they supposedly filed a complaint about.

According to reports to BBB, individuals who have received this e-mail have not actually filed a complaint with BBB but are, instead, employed by the business the e-mail claims they have filed a complaint about.

Anyone who receives a complaint e-mail confirmation claiming to be from BBB, but has not actually filed a complaint with BBB, should not click on any links in the e-mail. Instead, either delete the message or forward it to: phishing@council.bbb.org

Following is a copy of an actual e-mail associated with this recent phishing attack:

----------------------------------------------

From: Better Business Bureau [mailto:complaintsmajdivision@complaints.bbb.org]
Sent: Thursday, October 15, 2009 2:42 PM
To: [Redacted]
Subject: Complaint Update for [Recipient name varies], [Company name varies by recipient] (Case id: #0509E2)

Dear Mr. [Redacted],

This is an automated e-mail that confirms the registration of your complaint case number: #0509E2 filed by [Company name varies by recipient] on September 17/2007 concerning Online Identity Theft.

While Better Business Bureau does not resolve individual consumer problems, your complaint helps us investigate fraud, and can lead to law enforcement action.

You can download a copy of your complaint from http://www.yilan.com.tw/ht....[full hyperlink redacted]. Please print and keep this copy for your personal records.
We use secure socket layer (SSL) encryption to protect the transmission of the information you submit to us when you use our secure online forms. The information you provided to us is stored securely.

The BBB strongly encourages consumers to first attempt to resolve complaints directly with the company; however the BBB will not reject a complaint if a consumer has not taken this step. All complaints are processed by local Better Business Bureaus, most often the Bureau where the company is located. Historically, over 70% of complaints through the BBB are resolved. In some cases, BBB mediation or arbitration may be offered to assist in resolution.

Your complaint will be forwarded to the company within two business days. The company will be asked to respond within 14 days, and if a response is not received, a second request will be made. You will be notified of the company's response when we receive it (or notified that we received no response). Complaints are usually closed within 30 calendar days.

The form you used to register this complaint is designed to improve public access to the Better Business Bureau of Consumer Protection Consumer Response Center, and is voluntary. Through this form, consumers may electronically register a complaint with the BBB.  Under the Paperwork Reduction Act, as amended, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.

Our staff will keep you updated regarding the status of our investigation. To check the status of your complaint please access http://www.yilan.com.tw/ht... [full hyperlink redacted]

Red River Shootout!

Anticipation was in the air on a cool clear day in October as the contingent from Oklahoma crossed the Red River for a square-off in the heart of Texas. The sun was rising high, and the shootout was about to begin. Texas…Oklahoma…Someone was going to walk away a loser.

Fortunately for the good citizens of North Central Texas and Southern Oklahoma, the only losers on that fateful day were identity thieves everywhere. The identity thieves scattered as one car after another pulled up to shred information that the thieves so desperately wanted.

Identity thieves got a taste of good old fashioned Red River justice that day. A taste they wouldn’t soon forget as the sun set on another “Secure Your ID” event. File Thirteen of Lawton, Oklahoma and the BBB of North Central Texas tipped their hats to each other as they parted ways. The smile on each others face seemed to say, “we’ll meet again…next year.”

Welcome to New BBB Accredited Business

We thank our new BBB Accredited Businesses who are telling their customers and neighbors that they want to do their part to make their community a good place to work and live, and that they believe in business self-regulation and consumer education. We urge fellow members to support our new "partners" whenever possible by looking for the BBB torch before they make a purchase. New BBB Accredited Businesses Thank You for your support and welcome aboard!

Healing Hands Chiropractic Center

Dr. Cari Guidry

4729 Jacksboro Hwy

Wichita Falls, TX            76302

drcaribeesinger@yahoo.com

www.healinghandswf.com

Chiropractors D.C.

940 720-0800

940 720-0801

Rowland & Donnell Homes

Ms. Blanche Donnell

4090 Regent Dr.

Wichita Falls, TX 76308

Home Builders

940 692-1904

940 692-1973

Buyers Alert

Buyer’s Alert lists firms which have not responded to one or more complaints/advertising matters. The following companies listed are from the previous month. When responses are made by the companies, their names will be taken off this list and the telephone and Web site reports on the company will indicate that there has been a response to the BBB. Please call your BBB Accredited Business line, (940) 691-1173, or visit our website at www.bbb.org for a report on a company with which you have interest in doing business.

C & D Auto Service

Charles Allen

2430 River Rd.

Wichita Falls, TX            76305

Custom Home Repair & Restoration

Kevin Kilcrease

Old Jacksboro Hwy

Wichita Falls, TX 76302-5103

In Style Real Estate

Tony Corsaut

931 S Red River Expy

Burkburnett, TX 76354-3710

Johnny's Construction

Johnny Whittmire

781 Wellington LN

Wichita Falls, TX 76305-5239

Little Construction

Jackie R Little

322 N 9th St

Jacksboro, TX 76458-1534

Power House Gym

Zach Thomas

3127 Lawrence Rd