It seems a new fraud makes headlines nearly every day. Even worse, women may be at greater risk of becoming a victim of unscrupulous business practices. The Better Business Bureau, an organization synonymous with ethical business relationships, offers important hints and cautions to help women avoid potential pitfalls.

Not surprisingly, more than 80 percent of incoming calls, e-mails, and letters handled by the agency are from consumers who want to check out a company’s reliability before doing business with them, according to Bonnie Bakin, president of the Better Business Bureau of Central Illinois, Inc. “Our files contain more than 20,000 reports on businesses in the 36-county area we serve. The content ranges from basic business information such as ownership, location, and length of time in business to consumer complaint history, licensing, government actions, and educational material for the company’s type of business.”

For consumers’ protection, even a small question about a business’ ethics is recorded. “Just one unanswered consumer complaint results in an unsatisfactory file rating by the BBB. Unresolved complaints, patterns of types of complaints, and unethical advertising issues can also lead to an unsatisfactory rating,” Bakin said.

Don’t Get Taken By These Tricks

She said the BBB is familiar with many unethical business practices—and out-and-out scams—perpetrated mainly against women. “One of the most often seen ways is high pressure sales intimidation and deceptive advertising. It’s very common for unethical salespeople to convince women they don’t have the level of knowledge about the product or service in question to make informed decisions. So the kindly, knowledgeable salesman eagerly takes on the role of the advisor. In many cases, this results in extra charges and/or the purchase of unneeded products or services.”

Bakin advised the best way to avoid falling victim to these types of sales practices is to do your homework. “Avoid doing business with the cousin of a friend of a friend, who can do the work ‘dirt cheap’ on the side. Find out as much information as you can about the product or service you’re considering before you call the serviceman or walk into the business. There’s a multitude of resources out there to find information on just about any purchase or repair you’re considering. The BBB covers a wide range of products and services in our educational materials, and can provide referral information to other agencies that also provide valuable information for consumers.”

It’s very common today for women to own their own home or to make major decisions about the home they share with their families. So it’s important for women to know the ins and outs of hiring reputable repair people—and be familiar with practices that should raise red flags. “There are many quick and easy ways for individuals to feel secure about the contractor or home repair person they’ve chosen to do business with,” Bakin said.

The Better Business Bureau provided the following list of do’s and don’ts:

• Always get at least three estimates that are detailed in materials, parts, and labor—and don’t make your decision based solely on price.
  
  
• Check out the company with the BBB, the Illinois Attorney General, and look for pending or previous lawsuits by other consumers by calling the county clerk’s office where the company is located.
  
  
• Ask for proof of insurance and/or licensing that may be required either by the state or your local officials, and then call to verify the information.
  
  
• Get a written waiver of lien from the contractor. If he fails to pay his workers or suppliers, you can prevent a lien from being filed on your property.
  
  
• Get references you can call and actually see examples of the work.
  
  
• Don’t sign a contract under pressure. If they say it’s “now or never,” always choose never.
  
  
• And finally, never pay more than one-third up front, make sure your contract has every promise in writing, and don’t make the final payment until you’re satisfied the job is complete.

Securing Your Child’s Safety

As important as your home is, ensuring the people and facilities you entrust your children to every day are safe and reliable is even more pressing. Bakin said the Better Business Bureau can help with that, too. “The BBB collects the same information on people and companies that offer domestic services as we do on any other business or profession. We’ll tell you what information we have and any complaint history, if available. We can also provide referrals to the licensing agencies and professional or trade organizations that can provide information and assistance. This is an area where it’s very beneficial to rely on the recommendations of friends, family, and co-workers.”

When thinking about daycare for your child, Bakin said to first consider your options. “Do you prefer a child care center or a private home? Referrals are usually available through city, county, or state government agencies, or through local churches, schools, or civic organizations.”

She advised parents to make preliminary screenings of caregivers or facilities by phone. “Find out how the staff is selected, what credentials they’re required to have, and the rate of staff turnover. What are the child-adult ratios? Does the facility meet local and state regulations? Is there adequate safety equipment, such as fire alarms and first aid equipment? Is there adequate space inside and outdoors for children to play? Is the day care provider licensed?”

Of course, the right provider ultimately must meet your budget, as well as offer excellent care. “Some facilities offer financial assistance or fees based on a sliding scale. A facility that opens early, closes late, or is available on weekends may charge extra for such convenience,” she said.

Fortunately, Bakin said the BBB receives few complaints about day care. “And those we’ve received have generally involved billing disputes that were resolved quickly. I hope that indicates our children are in good hands.”

If It’s Too Good To Be True…

For many unethical business people, greed knows no season. Others, however, come out when the sun does. “Each year as the weather improves, we see many recurring scams and schemes,” Bakin said. “Many are related to home improvements and work-at-home opportunities. The most common home improvement scams are what we call drive-by fleecings. This is when someone in a pick-up truck stops by your home and tells you he’s working in the area and has extra materials or can save you money if you hire him and his crew today.”

She said consumers need to remember that legitimate contractors don’t buy substantially more materials than they need for a job, so leftovers are rare. “And legitimate contractors are very likely booked up on work and don’t have time to solicit jobs door to door. If you’re approached in this manner, take note of the person, the vehicle, and license plates, and contact your local law enforcement. You may be able to prevent your neighbor from being a victim of a scam.”

Work-at-home scams, too, seem to seduce more victims in the spring as women think about the possibility of being able to work from home while their kids are out of school. “Believe me, if you could make money from home by stuffing envelopes, editing books, processing medical claims, clipping coupons, or any of those great opportunities advertised, do you think I’d still be here at the BBB after 17 years? If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.” TPW