Friday, May 4, 2012
The Better Business Bureau warns that children are at risk of having their identities stolen.
Many adults are vigilant about protecting their identities from ruthless crooks bent on appropriating their information — but is looking after ones own self enough? "Many parents have no idea that their child is a victim (of identity theft), and this crime may go undetected for years-until the child applies for a job, loan, or rents their first apartment," according to a statement released by the Better Business Bureau. "Protecting a child's identity is easy and vital," said Steve J. Bernas, the president and chief executive officer of the Better Business Bureau serving Chicago and northern Illinois, including Shorewood. "Simply follow some steps the BBB provides, and you may save your child from hardships in the future," Bernas advised. …
Friday, April 20, 2012
The DJ can do that for him.
If you are entrusting a wedding photographer to capture lasting images of your very special day, make sure you hire the right one, warns the Better Business Bureau. "Most people have heard horror stories about weddings ruined by the photographer taking poor photos, video or even missing some of the special moments," reads a statement released by the Better Business Bureau of Chicago and Northern Illinois, which is the branch serving Shorewood. "That's why the BBB suggests couples getting married to do their home work prior to hiring a photographer to ensure that they are getting someone who is experienced and knowledgeable," the statement cautioned. "As with any business transaction, be sure to do your research before signing any contracts…
Friday, February 24, 2012
The Better Business Bureau issued a warning of common scams involving lost pets.
Possibly the most heartless of all grifters play on the emotions of pet owners, and the Better Business Bureau has issued a warning detailing some of the more common pet-related con-games perpetrated on animal lovers, of which Shorewood has more than its share. "Having a pet go missing is a devastating experience," according to a statement released by the Better Business Bureau. "When conniving people find ways to capitalize on your lost pet situation in order to scam you out of money, the loss is even more heartbreaking." As home to the Will County Humane Society — Will County's first no-kill animal shelter — Shorewood is widely regarded as a pet-loving town, which just makes the information and tips provided by the Better Business Bureau…
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
The Better Business Bureau warns consumers in the market for Valentine's Day flowers.
- VALENTINE'S DAY GUIDE
- Joseph Hosey
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Tuesday, February 14, 2012
If you're sending last minute Valentine's Day flowers — or buying them just before the big night — be careful! The Better Business Bureau says complaints about florists jumped 47 percent in 2011 compared the prior year. "When buying flowers consumers should be especially careful when making the purchase online or over the phone," said Steve J. Bernas, the president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau serving Chicago and northern Illinois. "Consumers need to review the description of the floral arrangement or any other gift purchased online or in conversation with the florist or sales person," Bernas said. Bernas offered this advice to floral shoppers:
Monday, January 9, 2012
The Better Business Bureau revealed the top 10 scams for last year.
The Better Business Bureau revealed its top 10 scams for 2011 and at the top of the list is ... Work-at-home hustles! That's right. Grifters were most likely to rip you off by employing some kind of con involving an opportunity to work out of your residence. "This scam is especially tempting for those out of work or needing additional income," according to a statement released by the Better Business Bureau. The Bureau noted that 45 percent of the "scam inquiries" they received last year were in regard to the work-at-home type of racket. The second most prevalent scam involved credit repair services. "In 2011, some consumers were trying to improve their financial situations in these challenging economic times," said Steve J. Bernas, the …
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
The Better Business Bureau has advice on how to save money while keeping your house warm.
The temperature keeps dropping and fuel costs keep rising in Shorewood, just like everywhere else. To help offset the high price of keeping a warm house, the Better Business Bureau has provided a checklist to assist in winterizing your home. "High heating costs are a problem each winter for cash-strapped consumers," said Steve J. Bernas, the president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau serving Chicago and Northern Illinois. "It makes good economic sense for consumers to winterize their homes," Bernas said. "Small up-front investment increases the energy efficiency of a house and reduces overall heating costs in the long run." Here is the Better Business Bureau's home-winterizing checklist:
Friday, December 30, 2011
The Better Business Bureau has some advice for stores on how to handle returned items following the holidays.
The Better Business Bureau has plenty of tips to stores on how to handle post-holiday merchandise returns, but the key to its strategy was keeping things simple. "Though returns can be a hassle, it's important for retailers to keep their customers in mind when it comes to their policy," said Steve J. Bernas, the president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau serving Chicago and northern Illinois. "While it's important that your return policy doesn't hurt your business, it's critical that it doesn't completely discourage and penalize the customer from making a purchase in the first place," Bernas said. Bernas offered the following tips to stores facing a potential barrage of post-holiday returns:
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
With spending down, customer service was key to luring shoppers, says the Better Business Bureau.
With holiday shoppers on a budget and projected to spend way less than in previous years, customer service was the key to pulling dollars out of wallets this season, according to an online survey of consumers visiting the Better Business Bureau website in the weeks before Christmas. "In the snap shot survey on the Chicago.bbb.org website, 43 percent of users selected Customer Service as the most important consideration when shopping," according to a statement released by the Better Business Bureau. "Price was selected by 30 percent, while Product Selection was picked by 17 percent and location by only 9 percent." More than half those surveyed said they were going to spend less this holiday season. A third said their holiday spending would …
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Holiday hiring may mean relief to some of the out of work, and the Better Business Bureau has advice for landing a job.
Some Shorewood stores put their Christmas merchandise on the shelves well before Thanksgiving, and if you're looking to land a holiday job you'd be better off taking the same philosophy of the earlier the better. That's just one of the holiday job hunting tips shared by the Better Business Bureau. "The holiday season will create a much welcome bump in the number of job openings, particularly in the retail and restaurant industry," said Steve J. Bernas, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau serving Chicago and northern Illinois. "While the jobs are usually temporary, this is great opportunity for struggling families and people who have had trouble finding work," Bernas said. Here are the Better Business Bureau tips:
Thursday, November 3, 2011
With layaway services back in a big way, the Better Business Bureau is warning shoppers to learn the ins-and-outs of each particular store's policy.
Long ago, layaway seemed to have fallen by the wayside. But the once popular purchase plan is back. And the Better Business Bureau is warning shoppers to learn the details of each store's operation before diving in for a long-term purchase. "Layaway services can be a great alternative to the using a credit card," said Steve J. Bernas, president & CEO of the Better Business Bureau serving Chicago and northern Illinois. "However, it's extremely important that customers take note of the fine print and know what to expect." When considering making a purchase on layaway, the Better Business Bureau recommends getting the policy in writing and asking these particular questions:
Tall Tale
11:47 am on Friday, May 4, 2012
Hopefully the Dream Act and Amnesty will pass. If the undocumenteds get to stay then they won't have to steal IDs from American children any more. more ›