BBB urging consumers to check status of companies before purchasing products


Published/Last Modified on Friday, July 18, 2008 3:08 PM MDT


Calls, postcards and letters pertaining to vehicle warranties are a nuisance and potential rip-off for Cochise County consumers.


Many are reporting to the Better Business Bureau that they can’t get these companies to stop calling. Others believe the postcards flooding their mailboxes are misleading because their “factory warranty” has been expired for many years or they never had a factory warranty to begin with.

Many companies fail to inform consumers that it is not affiliated with automobile manufacturers and that it is selling extended service contracts instead of warranties.

BBB urges caution to consumers when they receive a phone call or direct mail from any company they are not familiar with. Before agreeing to purchase the product or service, check out the company at tucson.bbb.org.

BBB of Southern Arizona’s Sierra Vista office is looking for volunteer arbitrators and mediators for its Alternative Dispute Resolution Program in Cochise County.

Arbitration helps to keep court dockets clear of small claims that would otherwise take more time and money than they are worth, Gates explains.

Under the BBB Rules of Arbitration, trained arbitrators listen to both sides in a dispute and render a legally binding decision.

BBB also is seeking volunteer mediators. Mediators do not render decisions but assist those involved in a dispute in reaching a mutually agreeable solution.

Volunteer training for arbitration is provided by BBB during a day long class, usually on a Saturday.Training will be provided in Sierra Vista. If you’re interested in this program, e-mail emaciel@tucson.bbb.org, or call BBB in Sierra Vista at 459-2880 with your name, address and telephone number.

You will be mailed a volunteer application and a letter indicating when group interviews and subsequent training will be conducted.

Copyright © 2012 Douglas Dispatch

Comments

    Consumer wrote on Jul 18, 2008 4:44 PM:

    " Watch out for BBB arbitration. There is already enough of a problem with arbitration bias when corporations are repeat customers of arbitrators. The BBB is a business organization, not a consumer organization. This is big myth that they're there for the consumer. "

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