The staff here at Wizard's World News uncovered an interesting investigative report on the legendary Better Business Bureau.

Truth be known, I thought this organization was as pure as the wind driven snow...but is it?

The series of articles to follow is an indepth look at the BBB and you may as surprised as we were to learn that all may not what it appears when it comes to who the BBB really protects...

This report was published by a well respected e-commerce guru named J.L. Scott, phD. He has a website called the Monday Morning Memo Dedicated to Improving Professionalism on the Web, and is the Director of the International Association for Professionalism Online (IAPO).

Dr. Scott gave Wizard's World News exclusive permission to reprint the series of articles.

It all begins with a readers complaints, which spurred Mr. Scott to try getting some answers from the BBB and they were...well...not very upfront and his research has unearthed some interesting, if not unethical behavior, on the part of the BBB...

Read and enjoy...

by J.L. Scott, phD.

Several times over the past 2 weeks I have attempted to call the Council of Better Business Bureaus. First, I called my local chapter of the BBB. After going through menu after menu of information I didn't need - I stayed on the line and pretended I didn't have a touch-tone phone. This finally got me a real live person on the other end of the line.

I called the number I was given for the Council by my local BBB and asked for information about BBB Online. I am put through to the same office each time - I get the same voice mail message each time - I leave a message - and I have yet to receive a return phone call.

So I decided to begin this article without them.

I know I'm a bit irreverent about some hallowed institutions and the Better Business Bureau is one of them. I also know that some people have actually received satisfactory responses from them but what I'm about to tell you is based on my OWN personal experience.

I will relate these off-line experiences then, next week, we'll move on to BBB Online. Maybe by then, someone will have managed to return my call.

A number of years ago, I had a business in California and I thought it might be advisable to join BBB. All I knew about them was that it seemed to give a business credibility to belong to their organization. I called the local office and asked for the paperwork - which was mailed to me.

I didn't join immediately and in about 10 days, I received a call from BBB asking me if I needed help. I explained that I just hadn't gotten around to it yet. The next week - another call from BBB. This time the sales pitch started.

The pressure was put on regarding "if" someone were to report me for a poor business practice, how my company would have a negative report on file with BBB. Fear tactic. Never works with me. However, this did create a conversation wherein I learned:

1) If a non-member is reported for unethical business practices, the non-member is notified and given a chance to respond. Then, both the report and the response would stay on file.

2) If a member is reported for unethical business practices, the member is notified and given a chance to respond. Then the BBB would attempt to arbitrate the problem if necessary. How? Well, they couldn't tell me that.

This kind of threatening sales pressure irritated me to the point that I decided not to join at all. I wasn't concerned about reports, I had simply wanted the image that the BBB seal implied. Their sales techniques turned me off completely and seemed unfitting to what I believed they stood for. The calls, however, continued weekly until I demanded that they stop. THIS I could get from a telemarketer!

Several years later, I reported a large electronics company to the BBB. I'll spare you the details but I sent them extensive documentation to prove my case.

Some 60 days later, I received a letter from the BBB. The bottom line was that they contacted the company in question but the company, "said they didn't do it." WHAT??

I wrote back telling them that it wasn't in question whether it had been done - I had sent them everything to show them that it HAD in fact been done. And - that I wanted that report on record along with the documentation. I checked regularly for 6 months and the report was NEVER listed with the BBB.

For a long time, I just believed that I had usually bad luck with the BBB. After all - everybody knows they are the epitome of ethical behavior! Until a few weeks ago ...

On April 17, 2000 I published a story wherein the writer had also made a report to the BBB. The report was made through proper channels and it was ignored completely! Later, the writer found the BBB Seal on the web site of the same company he had reported - with the same address - but under a different online name.

Upon investigating this report, I found the electronics company (which I had reported myself) listed - not only as a member of the BBB but as one of their "big name" supporters. So now - after all this time - we know how the BBB arbitrated that member's problem. All well as the problem mentioned in the article two weeks ago. You know - the one that was ignored.

Due to this interesting information, I have been looking at the BBB in depth over the past few weeks and I plan to continue this article next week. I think it will be an eye-opener for you. Meanwhile, I'll give them one more week to respond to my telephone calls for information and explanation. If I don't get it - I'll go with what I've got. Meanwhile, I have taken them OFF the MONDAY MEMO! web site Resource page! Stay tuned ...

Part II