A company that calls itself Better Business Organization is being confused with the Better Business Bureau! BBO is not the BBB!! Following is a copy of an alert that BBB Dallas put out to its members - we thought members in the South Plains should also be made aware.
"Despite the similar name, Better Business Organization (BBO), New York City, NY, is not the same as the Better Business Bureau, nor is it affiliated with the BBB in any way!
In the last few weeks, Better Business Organization has been calling businesses across the country and offering memberships that include Web site design and maintenance, email accounts, credit card services, discounts on products and services, and listing in its online Better Business Yellow Pages. Membership fees are billed to businesses on their phone bills, through a third-party billing service, ESBI, San Antonio, TX.
Businesses who receive the welcome packet have a 30-day trial period during which they can cancel, if they wish. If businesses don't cancel within that period, they will be billed $29.95 per month by ESBI on their local phone bill.
A restaurant in Spokane, WA, reported to the BBB serving Eastern Washington that a telemarketer for Better Business Organization called to "verify" the restaurant's information. The restaurant employee who answered the call said she was pressured to join, but she declined. Later, even though she hadn't agreed to join, the restaurant received a membership packet in the mail.
The Better Business Bureau system is developing information on BBO. The company's Web site, which was created in August, 2004, lists the company's mailing address as Rockefeller Plaza Center, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, 7th Floor, Suite 212, New York, NY.
The BBB in New York City reports that Better Business Organization came to the Bureau's attention recently, and the Bureau is attempting to gather information on the business.
Information provided by BBO to the Better Business Bureau in Stockton, California, indicates that one of the company's principals is in Apopka, Florida, and the other is in Modesto, California. Neither the BBB serving Central California nor the BBB serving Central Florida has enough information on the company at this time for a report on customer experience.
Has your business heard from Better Business Organization? If so, watch your mail for a welcome packet. If you don't want the membership, follow the instructions to cancel within the 30-day trial period. Also, check your phone bill for any unauthorized charges for membership fees. If you find unauthorized charges on your bill, contact your local phone company to dispute the charges and also file a complaint with the Better Business Bureau in New York.
To file a complaint on Better Business Organization, visit www.newyork.bbb.org and click on "File a complaint online." Or write: Better Business Bureau serving Metropolitan New York, 257 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10010-7384."
