Better Business Bureaus (BBBs) are nonprofit organizations that encourage honest advertising and selling
practices and are supported primarily by local businesses. BBBs offer a variety of consumer services,
including: consumer education materials; business reports, particularly unanswered or unsettled complaints or
other problems; mediation and arbitration services; and information about charities and other organizations
that are seeking public donations.
Complaints should be submitted in writing so that an accurate record exists of the dispute. The BBB will
then take up the complaint with the company involved. If the complaint is not resolved, the BBB may offer an
alternative dispute settlement process. BBBs do not judge or rate individual products or brands, handle
employer/employee wage disputes or give legal advice..
If you need help with a consumer question or complaint, call your local BBB or visit their website at www.bbb.org.
BBBOnLine provides Internet users an easy way to verify the legitimacy of online businesses. Companies
carrying the BBBOnLine seal have been checked out by the BBB, and agree to resolve customer concerns.
Visit www.bbbonline.org for a list of participating companies,
complete program standards, and more.
BBB MILITARY LINE, www.military.bbb.org, offers consumer
education and advocacy to service members and their families. The four service-specific sites, www.army.bbb.org, www.navy.bbb.org, www.airforce.bbb.org, and www.marinecorps.bbb.org, contain current military-related
consumer news, as well as links to local BBBs and other sites with useful consumer information. Users may
request reports, file complaints, and sign up for a custom consumer newsletter. On a local level, area BBBs
are providing educational briefings for military personnel and their families, as well as working with local
businesses to promote ethical treatment of military consumers.
The Council of Better Business Bureaus, the umbrella organization for the BBBs, can assist with
complaints about the truthfulness and accuracy of national advertising claims, including children’s advertising;
provide reports on national soliciting charities; and help to settle disputes with automobile manufacturers
through the BBB AUTO LINE program.
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