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.