Another scam artist claiming to be from the BBB.  This time the woman was claiming to be Judy Harol ext 166 and she needed to talk to the business owner.  She was so gracious to let me know she will be in her office until 3pm.  Keep dreaming you scam artists.

Got a call from a Tracy Madison insisting she could ONLY speak with the "owner" (RED FLAG!) of the business - needing "information" (Vague reason - RED FLAG!)    After explaining to her that I was the Office Manager she said could ONLY speak to the office manager (RED FLAG!) about obtaining information about the business.  Anyone really wanting basic information could have gotten it from me.  They wanted to SELL my boss something.  Nobody gets by me and he expects me to do that.  Signed on to the local BBB web site with this info - immediate warning about such phony calls.  Don't fall for it and give out any information over the phone.  I am so tired of having my time wasted by these con artists!!!!

Received a call for Aaron Moore at 888-497-5505 regarding BBB Accreditation.  Call did not show BBB.  Contacted the BBB for our region directly and they verified that it was a legitimate call.  They said that it was good to confirm that it was not a scam.  In our case, everything was on the up and up.

Received phone call from a Pam Hayden at (888) 497-5505. She stated she needed to talk to the business owner she was from the BBB.
When we asked her which doctor that there are four here. She stumbled and badlly mispronouned the doctor's name. The doctor was not here.  When asking her what this was regarding she stated, that was do to some one reporting language. Told her the doctor would call her back.
Pam told us to call (888) 497-5505 Ext: 180

This is not the Better Business Bureau,  We are a member of the Better Business Bureau and we contacted the local office.  They checked their records and this telephone number has no affiliation with the actual Better Business Bureau.  IT IS A SCAM.  HANG UP AND DON'T  GIVE OUT ANY INFORMATION.  Report the call to your local Better Business Bureau so they can track this scam and send out alerts to their members in the area.

So what are the benefits of this accreditation? I don't see any of these commenters saying anything about how it's helping them!

I received a call from an Alex Cooney at the same number listed above, but with the extension of 176.  His message stated that he noticed we had 390 inquiries and wanted to speak with me right away. The odd thing was that he was only going to be in the office for 10 more minutes. If this is a sales call, it is not going to be nice.

Got the same call on my home phone with extention 164. Christy said she was the owner of that BBB Branch. First of all, why are they calling my home number, not my business numbers as I own several companies. Second, the post from TN Phamacy is right. The BBB is a joke. If you pay them and you are a crappy low life company, you get an A rating leading consumers to think you are great because you have an A rating. If you don't join, you will never get an A and if you do and thy accidently review it, you will get lowered I have a company who dealt with over 10,000 clients in one year and I had an A+ rating. Someone called to check on us and they did a review, we had NO COMPLAINTS and the next day I had an F rating They wanted us to join but also wanted financials, home address and phone of the owners, etc. All personal imformation. We said, screw you and if we lose any business (which we did, over $100,000 in business beause of them) but we said, we will live and die because of our repetation, not there crappy rating.
Also, check out the companys who REFUSE TO JOIN, there is a long list that started years ago with Kodak when they were the top film producer. Wolfgang Puck and his restaurants. Watch the 60 minute episode from a few years ago where they went under cover and exposed the BBB for what they really are.  A blood sucking non profit who has run many good small businesses out of business by holding them hostage. Lets get enough peopel on a class action law suit and we can bring them to their knees.

888-497-5505

not interested, never will be interested.

It is not a "GIFT"!  It is a sales pitch, wanting your credit card # and $890 per year for 12 employees to get a plaque and link to their website!   If you have to pay to get a good rating, it is blackmail, protection money, Chicago politics, whatever you want to call it, but NOT a "GIFT"!   Same as the local organization in our small town to promote business, if you don't join, you get black balled and you can't get the proper permits, ect. and they try to ruin your business.   I conceded, paid the blackmail, now no problems, except have to pay every year.   Should be illegal, but evidently it is not.  It is called politics, the way our country works all the way to the top.

Not Provided ID calls all hours, every day at my home.  I finally answered to see who it was.  Claimed to be BBB.   Sounded legit until she wanted my credit card # and $890 every year based on number of employees (12).  No thank you!

Amen!  It is a scam! And, like you said - all positive comments are made by the parasites who are calling.  BBB does NOT say these folks are legit!

Just got the call from 1-888497-5505. I was fine with the sales pitch until I had to cough up my credit card number for $375. I never give out my credit card information over the phone to a stranger.

received a phone call from 888 497 5505 supposedly from the BBB.  Spoke with a Mike Yeager, he seemed like a nice guy, wanted all this info, then he wanted payment over the phone.  Since I am traveling don't carry the company credit card with me, asked him to send me a billing  statement to me, said he would send it by fax, never received it. BBB sounds like a good idea, so will call the local office when I get back to town and talk to them, see if it is legit, no credit car numbers over phone to some one I don't know.

This is a legitimate call from the BBB, take it seriously. These are BBB employees extending an invitation for membership with the BBB, which is an AMAZING gift for a business owner.

Also, the BBB is a national organization, so don't be surprised if you get a call from a different bureau than the one you're geographically closest to.

These are positive calls you are receiving. I don't understand how an invitation to become a part of the BBB could upset anyone... listen to what they have to say. It's the right thing to do for your business.

Received a call from a Pam Hayden 888-497-5505, Ext. 158 wanting the owner of the company to call the Better Business Bureau.  Does this person work for you, and would they not call you again if it was important.  And why would they call you in the first place

Received a job solicitation offer via Michigan Unemployment website from 888 497 5505 ext 183.  Came directly to my email address. As a former business owner I recall receiving "May I speak with the owner" phone calls from folks stating they were from the BBB that bordered on the offensive by asking questions about my company alleging there may be a complaint but refusing to supply details and further suggesting if I didn't sign up with them it would appear that something was wrong with my company.  No go.  They need to learn a better approach.

Got a call from a "Sharon K", regarding being included in the BBB directory and being listed on their website, with links from ours......sound good to me.  BUT, I don't believe in ordering anything over the phone from someone I'm not already familiar with.  One of the things the BBB has always said is to be careful who you talk to on the phone, it could be anyone.  I asked for documents regarding this program to be sent to me so I could look it over.  They don't have any.  They don't send out any information on what they are trying to sell until they send you an invoice also.  NOT the way the BBB should do business.

Hi,
Check your facts. You can call any BBB and ask how accreditation works and it also shows on there website. I work for the Accreditation department we do make outbound calls to invite business that qualify to be accredited.

Received call/voicemail from 1-888-497-5505, person identified herself as "Cheryl K" at ext. 174.  
These are telemarketers hired by BBB to solicit business owners to purchase "accreditation" but they are not actual BBB employees. It is illegal for BBB (contractors or employers) to contact you at home or cell, to solicit membership which is what they are doing. If you your business number is on the Do Not Call registry then it is illegal for them to solicit you there. We have a local BBB office but that is not where the solicitations are coming from so it violates BBB policy too.
I see that the contractors have been hitting these sites refuting the claims and signing as "BBB Rep" which is also illegal. FCC states it is illegal for a telemarketing contract to state they are the business that hired them, "I am calling for BBB---" is legal, "I work for BBB" or "I am calling from BBB" is not legal.
In my case the best part is that there is no business, it was closed 04/01/2011 due to death of owner and local BBB is aware of it, so these idiots would be accrediting a non-existent business which invalidates the role of BBB.

I agree!  BBB may have been reputable in the dinosaur ages, but they are far from it today.  They certainly seem desperate...they didn't used to resort to these tactics.  Furthermore, I've been told that yelp operates on a similar basis.  My daughter managed a dental office whose positive comments did not appear on yelp...bcuz they were not a paid member/subscriber.  Apparently yelp monitors incoming reviews, then contacts the biz to pay for the positive reviews to be posted.  What a con!

BS!

Rodney,

You clain the BBB is "a dinosaur in this internet age".  Apparently, that's far from accurate.

http://goo.gl/K55Lo

The BBB when calling should NOT imply that there is a complaint against your company. No "Bill" didn't say it, but he left a message that implied there was a problem. How can anyone trust the BBB when it gives companies like Magic Jack an A- when it has thousands of unhappy customers and other companies an "F" over one complaint just because they are not "member"?

The BBB is a dinosaur in this internet age that needs to be buried. They are accepting companies that are deceitful and evil and giving them good ratings in exchange for money. SHAME ON THE BBB!!!!

And how are you tied to the BBB? How much do they pay you to help them decieve the public?

Well then if you are upright people, then your messages should NOT imply that there is a complaint against your company. No "Bill" didn't say it, but he left a message that implied there was a problem. How can anyone trust the BBB when it gives companies like Magic Jack an A- when it has thousands of unhappy customers and other companies an "F" over one complaint just because they are a "member"?

Get calls from this number all the time. They are calling a home that has never been a business. We've had this same phone number for 10 YEARS and have REPEATEDLY told these people we are NOT a business and to stop calling.

And as is typical with scams, they just keep calling.

I guess they think if they call enough one time the out come will be different. As the quote says: "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again but expecting different results." Suffer the jerks off we must.

Agreed! I don't conduct business like that, we are honest and up front, it is called integirty. It may be the BBB, but they are scaming to get clients, chumps!

I had a voice mail with caller id for this number. I called the LOCAL Kansas City BBB and they confirmed it was an affiliated office in Michigan that apparently solicits memberships.  Was very suspicous as they did not have my name or accurate business name.  Did attempt to return their voice. Will see if they call back.

Rephrase: Bill is no longer at the Shelby location.  He may have transferred to another office.  I don't know for certain.