BBB Receives “F” Ranking

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Hartford, Connecticut, United States of America (Free-Press-Release.com) November 17, 2010 -- Under Scrutiny By Connecticut Attorney General

The BBB has allegedly worked hard to foster a trust by the general public. Vowing to protect the interests of the citizens of the U.S. and Canada by monitoring businesses and their practices, the BBB claims to be a not-for-profit organization with your best interests in mind.

A recent story done on ABC's 20/20 has revealed new information that the once beloved BBB isn't all that it is cracked up to be. Allegations of poor and dishonest rankings by businesses as well as the Connecticut Attorney General have pushed the BBB into the spotlight in a way that makes you have to question its legitimacy as an organization which can be trusted.
Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, stated in his interview that the BBB's rating system is unworthy of consumer trust. According to 20/20, Blumenthal has called on the BBB to stop using the rating system as it is “potentially harmful and misleading to consumers”.

Some examples of businesses that have received “F” rankings include Wolfgang Puck, the five star Ritz Carlton and even Disneyland. Mr. Puck claims to have received his ranking based on the fact that he is refusing to pay to become a member to the alleged watchdog organization. Although Disney's grade was changed after a host of bloggers questioned the poor ranking that it received, many others are still waiting for their grade to be changed to no avail.

The six figure salaries being earned by the BBB's top executives has many questioning where it's interests actually lie and how they can claim a not-for-profit status at all. It appears to many as though the not-for-profit status is only being maintained because the price businesses are paying to receive a good grade are going straight into the pockets of an overpaid upper management. If companies are paying to get A's, where does that leave the companies who refuse to pay for a membership? The President and CEO of the BBB was interviewed by 20/20 and all allegations of grades being purchased or given to those who become members were adamantly denied.

The BBB has had an incredibly powerful hold on the public's views of business throughout the U.S. and Canada, but it seems that the tables have turned. What was once claiming to be the watchful eye for your best interests is now being scrutinized by the watchful eyes of millions of disillusioned people.

If you would like to watch the entire video about the new findings on the BBB as reported on 20/20, the full episode can be seen at :

http://abc.go.com/watch/2020/SH559026/VD5597927/mans-past-as-teen-killer-surfaces .

Before you make a judgment about a company, question the source and make an informed decision as to the validity of your source.

bad business