{"id":17309,"date":"2025-05-02T10:03:22","date_gmt":"2025-05-02T14:03:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/?post_type=is-it-scam&#038;p=17309"},"modified":"2025-05-02T10:03:23","modified_gmt":"2025-05-02T14:03:23","slug":"is-the-bbb-a-scam","status":"publish","type":"is-it-scam","link":"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/is-it-scam\/is-the-bbb-a-scam\/","title":{"rendered":"Is the BBB a Scam?\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-rank-math-toc-block\" id=\"rank-math-toc\"><h2>Table of Contents<\/h2><nav><ul><li><a href=\"#what-is-the-bbb\">What Is the BBB?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#is-the-bbb-a-scam\">Is the BBB a Scam?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#so-should-you-use-the-bbb\">So, Should You Use the BBB?<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#how-to-use-the-bbb-safely\">How to Use the BBB Safely<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re thinking of using the BBB, you need to know: Is the BBB a scam?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Below, we explain whether the BBB is a scam and discuss some steps you can take to improve your safety when using this website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-is-the-bbb\">What Is the BBB?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The BBB stands for \u201cBetter Business Bureau.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As per its own description on its website, the BBB is a \u201cnon-profit organization that promotes trust between businesses and consumers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"527\" src=\"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/bbb-2.png\" alt=\"Better Business Bureau\" class=\"wp-image-17310\" srcset=\"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/bbb-2.png 1024w, https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/bbb-2-300x154.png 300w, https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/bbb-2-768x395.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The BBB says it makes it easier for consumers to find businesses they can trust.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It does this by publishing company profiles as well as reviews and complaints about businesses from customers. It also helps resolve disputes between consumers and businesses.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On the BBB website, companies are rated from \u201cA+\u201d to \u201cF\u201d based on various factors, like the number of complaints received and how fast the company resolved them.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Companies can also be <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbb.org\/all\/newbiz\/eligibility\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">\u201cBBB accredited,\u201d<\/a> which means they meet criteria like being in business for at least 6 months, resolving customer complaints, and having no governmental ethics violations.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"is-the-bbb-a-scam\">Is the BBB a Scam?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>No, the BBB is not a scam. It\u2019s a private, non-profit organization that publishes a directory of businesses with ratings and customer reviews.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, its credibility has been questioned.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The way that the BBB rates companies (from \u201cA+\u201d to \u201cF\u201d) has attracted quite a bit of controversy, with <a href=\"https:\/\/abcnews.go.com\/Blotter\/business-bureau-best-ratings-money-buy\/story?id=12123843\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">some<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.techdirt.com\/2011\/09\/20\/criticize-better-business-bureau-theyll-pull-your-accreditation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">media<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/money.cnn.com\/2015\/09\/30\/news\/better-business-bureau-millions\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">outlets<\/a> saying that paying a membership fee can increase your rating. The BBB denies this.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The BBB gets mixed reviews from users:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>1.4 out of 5.0 stars (from 342 reviews) on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.trustpilot.com\/review\/bbb.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Trustpilot<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>2.2 out of 5.0 stars (from 142 reviews) on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sitejabber.com\/reviews\/bbb.org\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sitejabber<\/a>.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>3.1 out of 5.0 stars (from 676 reviews) on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.yelp.com\/brands\/better-business-bureau\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Yelp<\/a>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Users mostly complain about their complaints being removed or ignored on the BBB website.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That said, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/explainlikeimfive\/comments\/1iyf8q\/eli5_what_is_the_bbb_better_business_bureau_and\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">some consumers<\/a> said that complaining on the BBB site <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/YouShouldKnow\/comments\/ojn93\/ysk_that_the_bbb_is_an_amazing_resource_when\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">resolved issues<\/a> that were likely never going to be resolved otherwise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/r\/YouShouldKnow\/comments\/y4dljg\/ysk_the_bbb_better_business_bureau_is_just_a\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">one user said<\/a>:\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cI went round and round with Costco customer service for six months when they damaged my home delivering an appliance. I didn\u2019t even get close to resolution until I filed a complaint with BBB. Everything people are saying about it is true, but some businesses still care about it.\u201d<\/em>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Of course, whether complaining on the BBB website will resolve your issue will depend on the company in question &#8211; and how much it cares about its online reputation. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.investopedia.com\/what-is-the-better-business-bureau-5024818\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">According to Investopedia<\/a>, the BBB doesn\u2019t have the authority to punish companies beyond publicly shaming them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"so-should-you-use-the-bbb\">So, Should You Use the BBB?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Probably, but don\u2019t rely on it as a consumer.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/clark.com\/business-entrepreneurs\/can-you-trust-the-better-business-bureau\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Clark.com<\/a> has good advice:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cAs far as checking out a company on BBB, just because they have an OK rating, it doesn\u2019t mean that they\u2019re safe. A good rating does not clear a company but a bad rating is really troublesome because their bar is really low.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Basically, a company that has an \u201cA\u201d rating doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s great &#8211; it just means it\u2019s good at complaint resolution.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, it might be worth taking notice if a company has a very poor rating on the BBB website.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also, the BBB is fantastic at seeing how a company reacts to complaints.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Plus, if you can\u2019t resolve your issue with a company directly, complaining on the BBB website can sometimes do the trick.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Our tip:<\/strong> Use BBB, but also use other sites like Reddit for customers\u2019 experiences.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-to-use-the-bbb-safely\">How to Use the BBB Safely<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Look beyond the rating. <\/strong>Besides the rating, also look at the number of complaints, the commonalities between complaints (e.g., billing issues, late delivery, etc.), and how the business responds to complaints.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Watch out for red flags. <\/strong>These include a large number of unresolved complaints and reviews that sound fake.\u00a0<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Use BBB as just one tool. <\/strong>Don\u2019t make a decision about a business just based on its BBB profile and rating. Look at other review sites, including Google Reviews, and see if you can find people\u2019s experiences with a company on internet forums like Reddit or Facebook groups. Take a look at the company\u2019s social media presence too. For example, do they respond to people\u2019s comments?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Follow best practices when filing a complaint. <\/strong>Be factual and calm, and don\u2019t include any personal details in your complaint, as it is visible to anyone who visits the company\u2019s BBB profile.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Our guide to whether Better Business Bureau is a scam.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":17310,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"class_list":["post-17309","is-it-scam","type-is-it-scam","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/is-it-scam\/17309","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/is-it-scam"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/is-it-scam"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17310"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/joindeleteme.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17309"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}