Better Business Bureau
reviews and complaints

The Better Business Bureau is a private company, and is in no way associated with the Government or the State Bar. They take annual fees from companies that want a high rating and to be accredited on their site. Anyone can make a comment on the BBB, good or bad, even if they have never been a client, and it’s not properly investigated, and once it’s listed on the site, the complaint cannot be removed, even if services have been fully completed, the client has been fully refunded, or even if it’s an erroneous comment or complaint by a disgruntled employee or business competitor. ABC News and 20/20 recently did an investigation on them and determined through undeniable documented proof that they are a scam and not a accurate or reliable source for consumers to interpret opinions of businesses, please view the following links:

1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0w6Oick8x48
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UT_BfidEBdM&feature=channel
3. http://articles.latimes.com/2009/jan/21/business/fi-lazarus21
4. http://blog-bbb.com/2010/04/corrine-brown-alerts-congress-of-the-bbb%E2%80%99s-unfair-treatment-of-small-businesses/
5. http://www.ericgreenspan.com/me/better-business-bureau-for-who/
6. /URL removed/
7. http://www.bbbroundup.com/BBBblog/blog1.php/2010/01/30/labbbcomplaints
8. http://www.thebluesmokeband.com/bbb.php
9. http://www.city-data.com/forum/business/769485-better-business-bureau-bbb-scam.html
10. http://www.topix.com/forum/county/orange-fl/TN5HRV9EG2MMIOCV9
11. /URL removed/
12. http://www.mechanicsresponds.com/Better_Business_Bureau_Complaints_Received%20-%20BBB%20Unfair.htm
13. http://www.bbbroundup.com/Aug27-2010.html

The biggest scam ever.. See what good morning america and 20/20 said on abc.
Don't pay the bbb a dime

http://news.yahoo.com/video/business-15749628/do-bbb-members-get-better-ratings-22999309

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/bbb-members-ratings-12129596

http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/video/wolfgang-puck-12132380

http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/better-business-bureau-sell-grades-bribe-corrupt-brian-ross-12136209

[protected]@gmail.com is her latest scheme... and Get this! if you go to the www. synercessinternational.com
website, it has been taken over by the Better Business Bureau! They scored her a big Fat F ! Read and laugh for yourself! Hopefully the Feds are onto her and will put her behind bars, and then she can drop her oxycoton and roxy addiction that her son supplies. And she has the nerve to call Aaron the web designer and code writer? She has a plethora of long boring sob stories of how she has " overcome' such obstacles to get where she is...Every work from her slithering tongue is a story she makes up in her mind to be true- she has been in and out of several mental hospitals, and been through 3 marriages already! We had trusted her with a 5's are wild investment of $4500 and each excuse became more of a fabrication than the next! She blamed it on her partner, who was smart and left her, than it was the software was slow, than she was on hiatus for months! Several of us members communicated and are cooperating with the authorities. The least she should do is return the monies she and Aaron fraudulently collected! And she should be in jail so this doesnt happen again!And to the other Sucker Tony who is working with her, Hold on to your wallet! NOTHING SHE HAS EVER DONE PROFITED ANYONE BUT Deb parker turner, , ...whatever the next alias is!

1. Complaints filed with the BBB are not reflected in a business' ratings. Even with multiple complaints a business can have an A+ rating.

2. When a consumer does not accept a business' offer to settle, the BBB closes an issue without any discussion and classifies these unsettled disputes as "Administratively Closed." The BBB defines "Administratively Closed" issues as "administratively judged resolved," even though there was absolutely no resolution. They should be called "Unresolved Disputes" and negatively affect a business' ratings.

For an organization that has "Start With Trust" at the top of their website, the BBB ratings cannot be trusted.

The BBB is under investigation by the Attorney General in Connecticut with good reason. The BBB went to the dark side in 2009. It went to a new rating system. When our company, a long time member at the time, went down in its rating with the BBB, we asked the local franchise owner, Judy Pepper, how she determined our rating. She said they use an algorithm they designed. We asked for the algorithm to determine how we could better our rating and she refused. Why would they keep that a secret? The Attorney General thinks maybe money is figured in.

We decided to evaluate our membership and determined that:

#1. Membership in the BBB is a COMPLAINT MAGNET. Our complaints grew 4 times over once we joined.

#2. The BBB does not care about being fair to businesses it only counts complaints.

We looked at our competitor who had almost 4000 complaints compared to our 133 complaints in the last three years, pretty good in our industry, and wonder how they keep their A+ rating. The judgments they make are arbitrary and subjective, no objectivity that we can see. As a member all of our complaints are resolved. Once you resign your complaints become serious.

Judy Peppers BBB franchise is doing well. They just bought a new building worth millions of dollars. Their business model has changed. They make a lot of money for a non-profit. I think it is because they have gone over to the dark side. I suggest if you own a business stay away from the BBB.

The BBB seems to think they are the know all be all for business when in fact they are as subjective as a NBA referee. They do not provide a service that can be counted on and they hold companies hostage with their ratings until a company submits to BBB demands. The BBB asks for information that is none of their business like "comprehensive client lists". It's none of their business and has no relevance. They claim to be able to make a determination whether a company has a "bona fide" product which is based on their definition. It's a shame that so many people put stock in the BBB when they are as inconsistent and corrupt as any other entity out there. There best service is to find out about SCAMS and report them to the public to warn us. Their rating method of a business is a joke.

I filed a complaint with the better business bureau against a company by the name of Intellius/Lookup
anyone for a fee, and if I wanted to cancel in a certain amount of time I could. I think it was within 3 business days. I did cancel in time because I could not find anyone of whom I was searching for for the
amount of fees they had charged my card for, they continued requesting more money. I called and spoke to a customer service rep. on 1-6-09 by the name of Rachel, and emailed her at [protected]@intelium.com
The Lookup Anyone order # is [protected] on 1-7-09 was the cancellation date their phone number is [protected]

They will not stop billing my CC and I have cancelled with them 3 times... I finaly closed my account! I did some research on this company and the owner is NEIL WARDLE he also has been shut down for fraud a few years back for billing customers fraudulently. Here is the link for that. http://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/settlements/05685/hoodia_hidden_sales.html He is tied to a few different companies. HOODIA, COLIN DETOX, STRATEGY CAREER COURSES AND FREEDOM FROM ALCOHOL ONLINE… go to http://www.bbb.org/utah/business-reviews/educational-consultants/strategy-career-courses-in-south-jordan-ut-22235601 it will name a few of his fraud companies “LIKE 15”… THIS Crook needs to be stopped! He seems to have been doing nothing but ripping people off for his life and he should be put behind bars. I attached the following agreement that clearly states I will be billed for three month payments NOT FIVE… THIS is all fraud and I am a victim of it… I will never order online again…

If you want to see how the BBB works look at how they sided with Champion windows when I issued a complaint. The BBB is not out to help the consumer but to take the side of the companies that pay them every year. The rest of this complaint you will have to start at the bottom and read up, it makes for some interesting reading.Consumer Info
NAME: Tim Tattersall

DAY PHONE: [protected] ext 447

ADDRESS: 55939 250th St 51534
Glenwood, IA

EVE PHONE: [protected]

CELL PHONE: [protected]

EMAIL: [protected]@q.com

FAX: -

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Complaint filed against: Champion Window Company of Omaha (More)
Business Info
NAME: Champion Window Company of Omaha

BBB MEMBER: YES

CONTACT: Mr. Alan Freilich

ADDRESS: 13306 Portal Dr
Omaha, NE [protected]

PHONE: [protected]

FAX: [protected]

Website: www.championfactorydirect.com

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Complaint status: Send Offer to Arbitrate to Accredited Business (More)
Activity
Date Activity Description
06/09/2009 More info received from the consumer
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I would like to know what is the BBB stand on this current complaint with Champion windows. It looks like the BBB has taken the side of the company that pays them every year. I thought the the BBB was to watch out for the consumers of Nebraska but that is not the case. Will you still give Champion windows a satisfactory recommendation to the consumers of Nebraska. This is a totally misleading recommendation and the BBB should be held accountable for siding with a company just because they pay you money every year and will not answer complaints when they are put against your recommended companies. When I get done with Champion windows in court I will make sure to lodge a complaint with the attorney generals office of Nebraska against the BBB of Nebraska for their very poor preformance in the handling of cases for the consumers that they are supposed to help. Tim Tattersall
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05/19/2009 More info received from the consumer
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I would like to know how much longer the BBB is going to allow it's accredited company to stall on answering the BBB on case #[protected]. We are now going on five months, is this what the BBB considers a appropriate amount of time. Will this company still be considered a "satisfactory" when giving the consumers a BBB rating for a company that will not even answer you (the BBB) [protected]
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04/23/2009 Send Offer to Arbitrate to Accredited Business
04/23/2009 Move Complaint Into Arbitration Phase
04/06/2009 No Response from Business re: Consumer Rebuttal
03/25/2009 Forward Consumer Rebuttal to Business
03/25/2009 BBB Reviews Consumer Rebuttal to Business Response
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Alan we do not have the whole story as seen from Champion windows. I have plastic over my windows! Is this what Champion calls a quality window! Do you Alan have plastic on your windows at your home, I will bet not! I have video tape of the plastic on my windows and how much it bubbles out when the wind blows and this is with a 15 mph wind. I brought this tape into your open house that you had and Mr. Geoff Shinn looked at the tape and said '' HOLY COW'' you either have bad windows or poor installation of your windows. Of course he did not know that they were Champion windows and he proceeded to try and sell me $6, 000.00 worth of windows. Now Alan if you want to see this video tape I sure have it and you personally can see it and make a decision as to what Champion will do to correct my windows. I do not want new windows, I do not want my money back, I want what I paid for and was told what I would get by your salesman. His statement just ;like Mr. Shinn's was ''we make the window, we install the window and we stand behind our windows for as long as you own your home. Do you agree with your salesman's statement or do you not? If you would like to hear Mr. Shinn's sales pitch I have all of that to on tape so you can listen to it to if you wish. I think the best thing would be to let a mediator view this video and I'm sure he or she will make the right decision as everyone who has looked at it cannot believe that Champion has not fixed or replaced the windows with no questions. That warranty is about as good as the paper it's printed on if you and your company will not back it up and keep stalling on my windows. Like I said I think this would be best if a mediator looked at the video from the BBB and then we can proceed to get my windows fixed or replaced. And as far as your statement to smaller heating bills you are wrong!

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03/25/2009 ReOpen the Complaint
03/24/2009 More info received from the consumer
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Alan we do not have the whole story as seen from Champion windows. I have plastic over my windows! Is this what Champion calls a quality window! Do you Alan have plastic on your windows at your home, I will bet not! I have video tape of the plastic on my windows and how much it bubbles out when the wind blows and this is with a 15 mph wind. I brought this tape into your open house that you had and Mr. Geoff Shinn looked at the tape and said '' HOLY COW'' you either have bad windows or poor installation of your windows. Of course he did not know that they were Champion windows and he proceeded to try and sell me $6, 000.00 worth of windows. Now Alan if you want to see this video tape I sure have it and you personally can see it and make a decision as to what Champion will do to correct my windows. I do not want new windows, I do not want my money back, I want what I paid for and was told what I would get by your salesman. His statement just ;like Mr. Shinn's was ''we make the window, we install the window and we stand behind our windows for as long as you own your home. Do you agree with your salesman's statement or do you not? If you would like to hear Mr. Shinn's sales pitch I have all of that to on tape so you can listen to it to if you wish. I think the best thing would be to let a mediator view this video and I'm sure he or she will make the right decision as everyone who has looked at it cannot believe that Champion has not fixed or replaced the windows with no questions. That warranty is about as good as the paper it's printed on if you and your company will not back it up and keep stalling on my windows. Like I said I think this would be best if a mediator looked at the video from the BBB and then we can proceed to get my windows fixed or replaced. And as far as your statement to smaller heating bills you are wrong!
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03/23/2009 More info received from the consumer
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Complaint [protected] has not been closed. I sent back a statement to Champion thru the bbb site and it must not have went thru. Now the BBB gave Champion windows 60 days to comply with a answer, this must be because that champion windows pays the BBB every year to be a part of there organization. My windows are not fixed and it looks as if the BBB has taken the side of Champion windows as I qwould guess no less they pay your wages do they not. If you charge them every year they pay your wages. I do n ot consider this complaint in no way shape or form closed till champion window fix their low quality windows and back up their warranty . If susan wants a written statement from me make sure your sight works right and do a follow up I will be calling susan on 3-24-09 to find out where the BBB stands on this. Tim Tattersall
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03/16/2009 Case closed - ASSUMED RESOLVED
03/16/2009 Inform Business - Case Closed ASSUMED RESOLVED
03/16/2009 No Consumer Response- Assumed Resolved with Letter
03/03/2009 Forward Business response to Consumer
03/03/2009 Receive Business Response
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I do not think we have the whole story. Nobody can guarantee that any window will not leak air. Windows are not like fish aquariums. They have moving parts. Champion has their windows tested with AAMA who tests for air infiltation. The standard is to allow no more than .3cfm/ft2. Our sliders tested to .16cfm/ft2 and our casements tested to .04cfm/fts. As the tests show, both windows that the Tatersall's have leak air, the casements leak less but they are more expensive. My personal experience is that when a customer has casement windows that were as bad as they say theirs were, they do not want them again. They are also more expensive. We have one of the best and most energy efficient sliding windows on the market and we have tried to make it better for the Tattersalls. If we did a comparison of their utility bills, I am sure you would find a reduction in their use. By now with the price increases, their cost might be higher after 4 years. The only suggestion would be if they want to split some of the cost for new casement windows, we could look into that. We cannot make the siding windows any more air tight.
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03/02/2009 No Response received from Business on 2nd Notice
02/20/2009 Phone Call or Time Extension
02/20/2009 No Response received from Business on 2nd Notice
02/11/2009 Reminder of Dispute to Business - Member
02/02/2009 No response to first notice to business
01/22/2009 Notify Business of Dispute - Member
01/22/2009 Send Acknowledgement to Consumer
01/22/2009 Case Reviewed by BBB - Member
01/18/2009 Case Received by BBB

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Case Description: On 7-7-05 my wife and I purchased replacement windows from Champion windows of Omaha Ne.We bought replacement windows because the... (More) On 7-7-05 my wife and I purchased replacement windows from Champion windows of Omaha Ne.We bought replacement windows because the casement windows that were in the house at the time were falling apart at the crank out hardware (hard to open and close with the crank assembly) but the windows sealed well and had no drafts that passed threw them, We called Champion windows and a champion represenative came to our home his name is Tim Gibbs. I explained the problem with my windows and that we have very gusty winds here in my area at all times ( we live in the country and in a valley that funnels the winds through this very open area of land that we have). Tim told us that champion had windows that would hold up to the windy problems that we had in our valley area and recommended sliders for our replacements (4 sliders and 2 casements) 6 windows total the 2 casements were put in because of size for escape from the home in case of fire. The 4 slider windows leak air badly. We have had 2 different people on three different occasions to attempt to fix the leaking window problems and they have not been fixed. We are currently putting plastic up on our windows to keep the drafts from coming in on the sliders but we do not put plastic up on the casement windows because they seem to seal up fine and have not had a problem with them so far. The champion window service rep has really tried to come up with ideas to correct our windows and is very nice to us in our contacts with his company. But this does not change the fact that our windows leak alot of cold air when it is windy and we have to put up plastic on the windows to keep out the drafts. We have a very nice newer home and drafty replacement windows are totally unacceptable and costly on heating bills with todays propane prices. Champion has chaulked all of the windows on the last service call and put in plastic foam blocks on the drainage holes hoping to fix the drafts and the plastic had to go up again. I do not know what the answer is to the leaky windows, wether it be replacement with casement windows but I do know this I will not pay a company $3945.00 so that I can put up plastic on the windows for a defective product. I want to work with champion to get my window problem straightened out but cannot be coming back and forth to meet with the service guys in their attempts to patch the leaks my time is money and with jobs at a premium I need to be at work when I'm expected there for my company. I know that the windows that champion puts into my home will not leak anything less is unacceptable or I will have the windows replaced by another window company and of course that will cost us all money and time in the letigation process which I do not have time for or want. But I will take it to what ever level I need to so that I have windows that do not let drafts into my home. I am sorry that we have to bring this to the better business bureau and involve them and ask for their help to get our windows fixed, if you can help us with our complaint I know that my wife and I would really appreciate this. Tim and Karen Tattersall (Less)
Category: Product Issues
Case opened date: 01/22/2009
Case closed date:
Desired Resolution: To have champion put in windows that do not leak any air what so ever. To provide what their salesperson... (More) To have champion put in windows that do not leak any air what so ever. To provide what their salesperson told us in his sales talk that we would have totally energy efficient windows that would decrease our home heating cost. (Less)

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I have a successful business in s. california for some 12 years now, and I was always rated the highest possible with the bbb.
Last year I decided to stop my membership with bbb after the rep which I don’t want to mention is name (he claim to work there for 18 years), simply used very bad practice. he constantly lies, and actually start yelling at me! I was in shock, and then he told me cracking in laughter... why wont you complain to the better business bureau.
The thing is, he use the same practice as a crooked telemarketer, and am not sure if all bbb offices use the same practice... but the los angeles office, which calling from 714 area code is just a crook. period.
Sincerely,
Dr. bush

Working in this economy is hard enough without these people making that much harder. Not only do they make bad reports and don't even have the decencly to have a report about their own company, when they make a mistake, you have to spend countless hours trying to get them to fix it! As busniess owners we need to stand up and say enough is enough! Stop paying this company just to have a good business rating! How wrong is it in this country that you have to pay someone that is not impartial to say your a good company to do business with! Not only that, let's say you have one customer who is inhappy and decieds to file 20 complaints to the bbb. Guess what? They don't post them from the same person, they post them as 20 seperate complaints and you have to jump though all kinds of hoops to get them resolved! I agree with one of the biggest and most well respected companies out there called kodak, who have resigned from the bbb to focus more on their customers than on the bbb! Stop wasting time, energy, valuable resources and money on the bbb! Act now! Resign!

As a many year member of BBB, I felt they protected the consumer and were an image I wanted to be associated with. I filed a complaint against another member and was told that as long as member responded in writing, that the matter was settled. The response of the other member was "what a whinner I was" and "I was no longer welcome in their store".

I was given no recourse, and felt if this is the way complaints are handled, I would no longer be a member. This leave the consumer with no protection against abuses by business unless (like me) the business belongs to a professional organization with a code of ethics or is licensed by the state.

I filed a complaint with the BBB against a BBB member, Palm Harbor Homes; and the BBB closed my case due to the Palm Harbor sales manger lieing to them and telling them my house was completed when it was not. I informed the BBB of the dates after Palm Harbor had told them my home was "completed" that PH came to work on my house working toward completing it; also of the 14 non-compliance items the state inspector cited Palm Harbor for after Palm Harbor had told the BBB it was completed. The BBB closed my case because of PH saying my home was "completed", and Palm Harbor told them they have done everything possible to make me happy. It proves a business can lie to the BBB to get and keep a good rating, which is the very thing the BBB is supposed to protect us from.

The BBB gives Palm Harbor Homes a satisfactory rating, even though when you dig further into their information, Palm Harbor has had 83 complaints filed in the last 36 months, which I think is a lousey record.

So, don't trust the BBB, their reports are biased.