Better Business Bureau Serving Cleveland, June 2015 Market Monitor Newsletter

1. s
MarketMonitor
the News for Better Business Bureau Accredited Businesses
INSIDE: 8 Tips for Avoiding a Vacation Scam
Enhancing your BBB Business Review Infographic
On Our Radar B2B Discounts Spread The News◊ ◊
BBB Serving Greater Cleveland June 2015◊
McConnell Named BBB President
Sue A. McConnell was chosen by BBB Serving Greater Cleveland’s Board of Directors to
succeed David H. Weiss who retired in early June. Weiss successfully led the organization
for 32 years and took it from a relatively modest operation to one of the top operations in
the industry nationally.
McConnell, who most recently served as Sr. Vice
President of BBB Serving Greater Cleveland, started her
BBB career in Cleveland in 1981 and directed operations
at BBBs in Akron, Cleveland, and Honolulu. Her
extensive service to the BBB system earned McConnell
the BBB’s prestigious “Meritorious Service Award” in
2009, the first and only time that award was given to
a BBB staffer who was not a CEO.
“I am honored to carry on the rich tradition of this 102-year-old BBB,” said McConnell.
“David Weiss’s leadership, coupled with the dedication of our board of directors and a
talented staff who works tirelessly to promote our mission, places me in the enviable
position of inheriting an organization that is financially sound and respected for its
work in advancing an ethical marketplace.”
“The Executive Search Committee was very fortunate to have the ideal candidate for the
position here in Cleveland,” said Ella Fong, Chair of the BBB Board. “Sue is respected by
many in the local and national BBB system for her knowledge, experience, and strong
ethical values. She will continue the legacy of integrity and professionalism that the BBB
of Cleveland is known for and maintain BBB’s strong reputation as the ‘trusted’ agency for
consumers to go to when seeking trustworthy suppliers and charities, or other assistance.”
Fun Runs May Leave no “Recourse”
Color runs, foam runs, mud runs - even zombie runs - are fun events that attract runners of
all ages. Some purport to benefit charities, while others are held just for enjoyment. Not all of
these events, however, are winners. Some have abruptly gone out of business without providing
refunds or changed venues making it difficult for registrants to participate.
Last Summer, a Utah-based company canceled its local “5K Foam Fest” and kept registration fees
paid in advance. In May, the “Color 5 Mile” closed down after promoting 100 events across the
country. The event promoter, Color 5 Mile LLC, claimed a June event was scheduled for Cleveland,
but the site map showed the event would take place at Cleveland City Hall.
BBB offers these tips:
• Do your research. Check out the company’s BBB Business Review and search online for additional
information before signing up.
• Understand the terms and conditions. ​Many promoters have restricted refund policies​​.
• Check the local venue. Contact the park or other venue to confirm that the event is scheduled.
• Pay with a credit card. Charges made on a credit card can be disputed after a purchase, whereas
debit, cash, or wire transfer transactions cannot.
• Keep documentation of your order. ​Print a copy of your online confirmation.
• Check out the charity. Most fun runs are for-profit, but if the promoters claim a portion of the
proceeds will go to charity, check it out on​​give.org to make sure your donation is going to a
trustworthy charity.
Service to the
Community
Greater Cleveland BBB
Activity Report From
January - May 2015
Reports issued on
companies/charities.................547,773
Customer complaints filed.............3,296
Online Accredited Business Directory
listings viewed........................7,147,053
bbb.org/cleveland visits..............454,386
Advertising review cases initiated......135
The Short List
Questions to Avoid During
an Interview
To reduce your risk of
violating state or federal
laws, these are some of
the types of questions
employers should avoid
during a job interview:
What is your religion?
What is your political
affiliation?
Are you married?
Have children?
How old are you?
Are you disabled?
Are you in debt?
Do you socially drink
or smoke?
What is your medical
history?
Are you a U.S. Citizen?

2. 8 Tips for Avoiding a Vacation Scam
As you dream of summer fun, BBB is reminding consumers of vacation scams that can turn a dream
vacation into a nightmare. Whether it is by phone, email, or in an ad posted online, vacation rental scams
come in all shapes and sizes. Often, scammers will lure in victims with images from real properties to
make their scams appear legitimate. Vacation seekers searching for a rental in a desirable destination
are tempted by the attractive rental that appears to be renting at a very low price. After contacting the
“owner” (who is actually a scam artist), victims are told to put a “deposit” down on the rental. Typically,
it is requested that the deposit be sent via wire transfer. When the vacationer arrives at the property,
they find that it either does not exist, that the condition has been misrepresented, or that it was never
available for rent in the first place. Efforts to get the deposit back usually fail.
BBB has tips for avoiding vacation scams:
• Don’t believe everything that you see. The site may have the logo or design of a legitimate hotel
or booking site, but that can be easily copied from the real website. When searching for a trustworthy
vacation rental, be sure to visit legitimate websites that are well-known.
• Get everything in writing. Before providing any form of payment, get everything in writing. Make
sure all verbal agreements are also provided in writing. Review all terms and conditions, taxes and
fees, and cancellation policies.
• Use secure payment method. Never pay upfront using a wire transfer or prepaid debit card for
any vacation package or rental. Use a credit card or valid escrow service in case the charges need
to be disputed.
• Verify reservations. Follow-up directly with the airline, rental car company, hotel and/or
cruise line to confirm arrangements have actually been made to your specifications.
• Look out for fake contact info. Some consumers report calling the 1-800 number posted
on a scam hotel booking site to confirm its legitimacy. Scammers simply impersonated the
front desk of the hotel.
• Double check the URLs. Scammers pick URLs that look very similar to those of
legitimate sites. Always be sure to double check the URL before making a purchase.
• Look for a secure connection. Make sure your personal information is being
transmitted securely by ensuring the web address starts with “HTTPS” and has a lock icon.
• Watch for too-good-to-be-true deals. Be sure to comparison shop and be suspicious
of a site that has prices significantly lower than those listed elsewhere.
On Our Radar
Classic Moving Services/Matrix Movers - Using a Beachwood
address, this moving service is generating complaints from
unhappy consumers. Most complainants claim the company
greatly increases the cost of the move after the truck is loaded
even though a binding estimate was agreed upon. Consumers
tell BBB they have to pay the additional fee, or lose their deposits
and pay to have the truck unloaded. Some consumers have also
experienced long delays in getting their items. BBB has received
8 complaints since February, 2015. The Beachwood address is a “virtual office” and BBB
has determined the company has no registration with the Ohio Secretary of State or the
Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO). This business has also falsely claimed to have
an “A+” rating from BBB. BBB has alerted PUCO as well as the Federal Motor Carrier Safety
Administration.
Follow Us On:
June 2015
Office Depot
Discounts up to 10%
on many of your office
needs, with special
pricing on copying
and printing. Go to
bit.ly/bbbohdepo or
call Jessica @ (216)
842-7514 for details.
FedEx Earn up to
26% discounts on
shipping and office
services with the FedEx
Advantage Program.
Free to enroll. Go to:
advantagemember.
visionary.com/6920/
to sign up. Passcode is
39HF6R (case sensitive).
Pre-Employment
Background Reports
Online criminal checks for
$15.95 each. Other reports
also discounted. Call IntelliCorp
at (800) 539-3717.
Document Shredding
All Ohio Secure Shred will shred
documents on site for $25/month
for one container. Also, one-time
bulk purge for 10 cents/lb. $50
minimum. Call (330) 659-0840 or
(888) 747-3394.
Some member discount programs
generate revenue which BBB reinvests
into the organization’s operations.
B2B Discounts for
BBB Accredited
Businesses
UPCOMING WEBINAR
October 1, 2015
9:00 AM - 9:30 AM
Tax Tips for Business Owners:
A Question and Answer Session
Presented by: Steve Goodnough of
Turney Tax & Financial Services
To register, contact
Brigid@cleveland.bbb.org,
call 216-623-9864 x206,
or check your inbox for
registration email.

3. bbb.org/cleveland
®
Sign Up For Free
BBB Scam Alerts!
Learn about scams within
hours of when they break.
Text SCAM
to 24587
There is
no fee to
sign up for
BBB Scam
Alerts,
but your
carrier’s text
messaging
rates do apply.
Kudos!
Enhancing your BBB Business Review
Update your BBB records and add photos and videos to your BBB Business Review.
Start by signing
in to your
BBB Business
website. Go
to bbb.org/
cleveland
and click on
Business Login
at the top.
Enter Your Email and Your
BBB Password, then select
Login to my BBB Business
Account. If you have
forgotten your password, or
need to get one, use the links
on the right.
From this page, you can choose options to
update and enhance your BBB Business
Review.
You can place up to 20 photos
to display in your BBB Business
Review. Click on Image to
Upload to grab the photo from
your computer. Give the image
a Title and Caption. Check
the box, then select Upload
Image. BBB staff will review
and publish.
Need help? Contact Brigid at
Brigid@cleveland.bbb.org.
Bob Gallese, owner of BBB
Accredited Business One Man
and a Hammer, was inducted
into REMODELING magazine’s
Big50 at a ceremony held in May.
REMODELING Big50 recognizes
business owners for their
excellence in business practices.
Is your business celebrating
a milestone anniversary...
or hosting a special event...
opening a new location,
perhaps? We will help
you spread the news on
Facebook and Twitter.
#1 Visit bbb.org/cleveland.
#2 Find the links at the
bottom of the page to our
Facebook and Twitter
accounts.
#3 Like/follow us, then
share your news with
us.
We will spread the
good word from there.

4. The Market Monitor
Better Business Bureau
2800 Euclid Ave., 4th Fl.
Cleveland, OH 44115-2408
The Market Monitor (ISSN 1085-5122). June 2015. Volume 11 No. 3. Published bimonthly in February, April, June, August, October and December by the Better Business Bureau, Inc. 2800 Euclid Ave., 4th Floor, Cleveland,
OH 44115-2408, Periodicals postage paid at Cleveland, OH. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Market Monitor, 2800 Euclid Ave., 4th Fl, Cleveland, OH 44115-2408.
Periodicals Postage Paid
June 2015
BBB is ALL IN! PartnerShip®
= Savings
Through an agreement with PartnerShip®
, Accredited
Businesses can save on shipments - inbound, outbound,
small, and large.
The BBB shipping program offers discounts on select
FedEx® services including express packages, ground
packages, and residential delivery, on both new and
existing FedEx®
accounts. BBB
Accredited Businesses
will also save at least
70% on standard and
guaranteed LTL freight
shipments with UPS
Freight, YRC Freight,
Con-way Freight,
and other reputable
carriers, including
competitive pricing on truckload, expedited, and tradeshow
shipments.
Check your email for complete details on the
PartnerShip®
program or contact Brigid Woodland at
Brigid@cleveland.bbb.org.
BBB staff showing their support for Cleveland Cavaliers -
a BBB Accredited Business.