This document provides tips to avoid tax scams and discusses BBB activities in the Greater Cleveland area from January to December 2016. It warns of scammers posing as the IRS or CEOs and targeting both individuals and tax preparers. The BBB welcomed new board directors and is offering free financial coaching through Apprisen to accredited businesses. It also advertises upcoming BBB events and webinars on topics like workers compensation, background checks, and identity theft protection.

1. theMarketMonitorN E W S F O R B E T T E R B U S I N E S S B U R E A U A C C R E D I T E D B U S I N E S S E S®
B E T T E R B U S I N E S S B U R E A U S E R V I N G G R E A T E R C L E V E L A N D
Tips to Avoid Tax Scams
• Don’t respond to emails
that appear to be from
your CEO asking for
copies of W-2 Forms or
payroll records
• Don’t respond to emails
asking you to update your
IRS e-file
• Don’t send money to
a caller claiming to be
IRS and demanding
immediate payment of
back taxes
• Don’t answer callers
asking you to verify your
tax information
INSIDE: B2B Discounts • WarningforTaxPreparers • NewBusinessatBreakfastEvent
“CanYouHear Me?”Calls • SecureYourIDDay • FlashWebinars • QuickTipTuesdays
FEBRUARY 2017
SERVICE TO THE
COMMUNITY
Greater Cleveland BBB Activity
Report: January - December 2016
Reports issued on companies/
charities: 1,415,469
Customer complaints filed: 8,490
Online Accredited Business
Directory listings viewed:
17,670,167
bbb.org/cleveland visits: 1,275,982
Advertising review cases
initiated: 488
Sean Sullivan, Arthur Shibley, and Montrie
Rucker Adams joined BBB’s Board of
Directors in January.
Sean Sullivan owns
Fitness Together
Brecksville. He was
recently inducted as
the President of the
Brecksville Chamber of
Commerce, served as
President of Brecksville
BNI and on the Advisory Board at Heritage
College. In 2015, Sean received the Fitness
Together Greatest Contributor Award and
was in the $400K Revenue Club. He enjoys
time spent with family, traveling, and, of
course, exercising.
Arthur Shibley is a
Partner in Yours Truly
Restaurants. He has
served on the Boards
of Akron Regional
Development and
Orange High School
Foundation. Prior to
his restaurant career, Arthur was a top ten
sales rep for Xerox Cleveland and a top five
sales rep for the Fenwal Division of Baxter
Labs. He enjoys coaching youth football and
basketball, golfing, and cooking.
Montrie Rucker Adams,
is president and Chief
Visibility Officer of
Visibility Marketing Inc.
Adams has contributed
to several publications
including the Women of
Color Devotional Bible,
BlackAmericaWeb.com, and Kaleidoscope
magazine where she once served as
Managing Editor and Editor-In-Chief. Her
civic responsibilities include serving as
president of the Board of Directors for
Continue Life Inc., a homeless shelter and
transitional housing program for expecting
and parenting young women, East End
Neighborhood House and The Case Western
Reserve University Flora Stone Mather
Center for Women. Adams is a former board
member of the Public Relations Society of
America (PRSA), and a lifetime member of
the National Black MBA Association.
Apprisen is offering BBB Accredited
Businesses and their employees an
opportunity to receive free financial
coaching. This proactive approach to
reaching your financial goals involves an
analysis of financial objectives, development
of a plan of action, copies of your credit
reports, access to free financial tools, and an
entire year of help from your own financial
coach. Complete the program and get $100!
Call Ram Mayekar at Apprisen at (800) 355-
2227 x1411 or visit apprisen.com/coaching.
BBB WELCOMES NEW DIRECTORS
RESOLVE TO BE FINANCIALLY FIT IN 2017 -
AND GET $100

2. ®
Follow usat:
WARNING FOR TAX PREPARERS -
SCAMMERS ARE TARGETING YOU
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is warning
tax professionals about cybercriminals posing as
clients to solicit services.
Here’s how it works. First, you receive what
looks like an email from a potential client. If you
respond, the scammer follows up with a second
email that typically has either an embedded web
address or contains an attachment which the
scammers allege includes the potential client’s
tax information. When you click on the link or download the attachment, the scammers then
collect your email address, password, and other private information.
Sometimes, you are tricked into responding because the emails appear to come from a
legitimate source, including a friend or colleague. That’s because, the IRS warns, the friend
or colleague has already become a victim. The scammers are accessing that friend’s or
colleague’s account in order to send phishing emails.
Scammers hope to collect enough information about taxpayers to use to create fake tax
returns and reap the refunds.
The IRS urges all taxpayers, including tax professionals, to be smart this tax season.
Don’t respond to or click on a link in an email or attachment from a sender that you don’t
recognize.
B2B DISCOUNTS FOR
BBB ACCREDITED
BUSINESSES
KnowYourCustomers.com
is offering a 30% discount
on its service you can
use to report non-paying
customers and to research
reported non-payment of
potential customers. Enter
promo code CLEBBB at
knowyourcustomers.com.
Easton Telecom Phone service
rates ranging as low as 5% off
most retail services. For a no-
obligation cost comparison and
service analysis, contact Jim
Butler at (800) 222-8122.
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.
Intellicorp Records, Inc. offers
online criminal checks for
$17.07 each. Other reports also
discounted. Call
(800) 539-3717.
PartnerShip®
offers discounts
on select FedEx®
services
including express packages,
ground packages, and
residential delivery, on both
new and existing FedEx®
accounts. 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. Call
(800) 599-2902.
Some member discount programs
generate revenue which BBB reinvests
into the organization’s operations.
BBB Business at Breakfast!
Thursday, April 20th, 2017
8 a.m. to 9 a.m.
BBB Cleveland offices
2800 Euclid Avenue
Don Hicks of Sheakley
presents: “Workers Comp 101:
Understanding the Basics of
Workers Compensation.”
Breakfast, door prizes, and
networking.
Keep an eye on your email
for registration!
Would you like to host a BBB
Business at Breakfast? If you have
a great topic you would like to share
with other BBB Accredited Businesses, contact
brigid@cleveland.bbb.org or (216) 623-8964 x206.
Your BBB has a great new way for
you to fuel your day and ignite
your business with BBB Business
at Breakfast, a new opportunity
that caters to BBB Accredited
Businesses who want to
cultivate their business and
grow their connections. Join
us!

3. bbb.org/cleveland
theMarketMonitor
CONSUMERS BESIEGED BY
“CAN YOU HEAR ME?” CALLS
For the last few days of January, more than half of the
reports to BBB Scam Tracker (bbb.org/scamtracker) have
been about this scam. Consumers say the calls are about
vacation packages, cruises, warranties, and other big
ticket items. So far, none have reported money loss, but
it’s unclear how the scams will play out over time or if the
targets will be victimized at a later date.
Here’s how it works: You get a call from someone who
almost immediately asks “Can you hear me?” Their goal is
to get you to answer “Yes,” which most people would do
instinctively in that situation. There may be some fumbling around; the person may even say
something like “I’m having trouble with my headset.” But in fact, the “person” may just be a
robocall recording your conversation and that “Yes” answer you gave can later be edited to
make it sound like you authorized a major purchase.
BBB is offering consumers the following advice:
• Use Caller ID to screen calls and consider not even answering unfamiliar numbers. If it’s
important, they will leave a message and you can call back.
• If someone calls and asks “Can you hear me?,” do NOT answer “yes.” Just hang up.
Scammers change their tactics as the public catches on, so be alert for other questions
designed to solicit a simple “yes” answer.
• Make a note of the number and report it to bbb.org/scamtracker to help warn others.
BBB also shares Scam Tracker information with government and law enforcement
agencies, so every piece of information is helpful in tracking down scammers.
• Check your bank and credit card statements regularly for unauthorized charges. It’s also
a good idea to check your telephone and cell phone bills as well. Scammers may be using
the “Yes” recording of your voice to add unauthorized charges on your phone bill. This is
called “cramming” and it’s illegal.
SHED A FEW POUNDS (OF UNWANTED
PAPER) AT BBB’S FREE SHREDDING EVENT
Bring up to 3 boxes or bags of
documents and have them
securely shredded at BBB’s Secure
Your ID Day. The event happens
Saturday, April 29th at RadAir
locations in Lorain and Solon.
BBB has conducted this event
for nine years resulting in a 119
tons of shredded paper. This is a
perfect time to clean personal and
business files and be assured that
confidential information does not
get into the hands of scammers.
BBB thanks All Ohio Secure
Shred for providing the shredding
services. Their trucks are equipped
with video cameras if you wish
to watch your documents get
shredded. Hope to see you there!
You and your employees are
invited to tune in to these FREE,
30 minute webinars that get
straight to the point and cover
important details on helpful topics.
So grab your computer and let
your BBB help advance your
business in the time it takes to
enjoy your morning coffee!
Thursday March 16th @ 9:00 am
Uncommon Thieves…WHO are
they?
Understand how to protect
your business when choosing
customers.
Presented by John Covender,
KnowYourCustomers.com
Thursday April 6th @ 9:00 am
How Well Do You Know Your
Hires?
5 tips on running background
checks that every business should
know.
Presented by Matt Garbincus,
IntelliCorp Records
Interested in presenting a BBB
Flash Webinar? Have questions?
Contact Brigid at (216) 623-8964
x206 or brigid@cleveland.bbb.org.
Mini webinars (under 15 minutes)
to help you maximize your BBB
accreditation.
March 7th @ 9:00 am
Protect against Identity Theft &
scams targeting businesses.
March 21st @ 9:00 am
Set your BBB Profile apart by
adding pictures and videos.
April 4th @9:00 am
What documents do you need to
keep?
April 18th @ 9:00 am
Spring Cleaning - tidying up your
online presence.
May 2nd @ 9:00 am
Are you using BBB’s Customer
Review Button?
Watch your email for registration!
BBB FLASH Webinar
Saturday, April 29, 2017
10:00 A.M. - 2:00 P.M.
Fight Identity Theft with BBB at a
FREE SHREDDING EVENT!
Because YOU are your own best defense against
identity theft!
SecureYourIDDay
Lorain, 5350 Leavitt Road
Solon, 6221 Som Center Road

4. The Market Monitor
Better Business Bureau
2800 Euclid Avenue, 4th Floor
Cleveland, OH 44115-2417
The Market Monitor (ISSN 1085-5122). February 2017. Volume 13 No. 1. Published bimonthly in February, April, June, August, October and December by the Better Business Bureau, Inc. 2800 Euclid Avenue, 4th Floor,
Cleveland, OH 44115-2417, Periodicals postage paid at Cleveland, OH. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Market Monitor, 2800 Euclid Avenue, 4th Floor, Cleveland, OH 44115-2417.
Periodicals Postage Paid
A special thank
you to our
BBB Accredited
Businesses for
supporting our
booth at the
2017 Home Show
The Market Monitor
Better Business Bureau
2800 Euclid Avenue, 4th Floor
Cleveland, OH 44115-2417
Periodicals Postage Paid
FEBRUARY 2017