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A service provided to the Accredited Businesses of the BBB serving Southeast Louisiana.

June 2010
In This Issue
-- Phony Scam Websites
-- Oil Spill Scams
-- Tips for Oil Spill Donors
-- Free Cash Grant Scams
-- New Accredited Businesses
-- We Salute You

Quick Links...
Dear BBB Accredited Business,

This month, we have focused on topics of particular local interest. We have dedicated two articles to the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Locally, and throughout the gulf coast, we have encountered scammers attempting to victimize those who are already victims. The first article should prepare you for many of the most common oil spill related scams. Also, if you intend to donate time, or money to the gulf coast cleanup effort, we certainly hope you would do it wisely. The second oil spill article offers advice on donating wisely. 

We have recently been made aware of a group of web pages which appear to be companies selling goods online, but are not. They also propose to be a BBB Accredited Business. They are not. The phony BBB logo on their website forwards to a phony BBB report. They give themselves an A+, we give them an F.  Read below to find out what we've learned about this scam. 

Finally, we have received a lot of inquiries at our office regarding grants, and companies that sell information on grants. One of the most common misconceptions is that these companies offer the grants themselves. This is usually not the case. 

Make sure to use these articles to avoid being a victim.  As usual, we hope this issue is informative, and thank you for your continued support of your local Better Business Bureau.

Dick Mitchell
President/CEO
BBB serving Southeast Louisiana
 
Phony Scam Websites Falsely Claim BBB Accreditation

BBB serving Southeast Louisiana has recently become aware of several websites which propose to be BBB Accredited Businesses but are not.  The websites show a BBB Accredited Business logo, which links to a phony BBB report generously giving the company a bogus A+ rating. BBB gave them an F.  Originally, the address they used is an underpass on Interstate 10.

For more information on this series of scams, click here.
 
Gulf Oil Spill Floods Area With Related Scams

Oil SpillAs the Gulf Coast encounters the potential damages of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the Better Business Bureau is warning consumers to be on the lookout for scammers looking to take advantage of the situation.

The BBB provides information on the known oil spill related scams.
 
Gulf Oil Spill Recovery: Tips for Donors and Volunteers

hand writing a checkIn the wake of any disaster, many reach for their checkbooks and donate money to aid and rescue organizations. The BBB Wise Giving Alliance cautions, however, that the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is unlike previous disasters and offers specific advice to potential donors and volunteers.

BBB Tips on donating to the Oil Spill Recovery effort. 
 
"Free Cash Grants" Too Good To Be True

You've probably seen the ads: "Free Money! Never Repay Cash Grants for Personal Needs, Medical Bills, Education, Business, Debt Consolidation and more." Sounds too good to be true? It is. Solicitations like this one have been appearing in consumers' e-mail boxes recently.

Don't fall for this recurring scheme!  Click here.
 
Welcome to New BBB Accredited Businesses - May 2010
WDSU Channel 6
The Better Business Bureau is proud to announce the following new BBB Accredited Businesses during May 2010. This means that these companies have agreed to uphold the BBB Standards of Trust, including advertising honestly, honoring promises, and being responsive to marketplace issues. 

Click here to view the BBB Standards for Trust.


A P C Construction, LLC
Able Tree & Landscape Service, Inc.
Advance Auto Care
Advanced Electric Utility Products, LLC
All N 1 Tires & Wheels, LLC
Ameriplan Louisiana
Andale Margaritas & Grill
Animal Care Center LLC
Anthony Christiana Construction
Artisan Kitchen & Bath
BEC Technology Consultants, LLC
Beijing Chinese Cuisine
Bryan Chevrolet, Inc.
Budget Blinds of Slidell
Calypso Patio Bar & Grill
Cellution Wellness Center, LLC
Cherry Blossom Japanese Restaurant
Clearview Glass Works, Inc.
Clesi Foundations, LLC
Crescent City Construction, Inc.
DNA Energy Solutions LLC
Dos Gringos Food & Spirits
Eulogio's Pool
Every Detail, LLC
Gertler, Gertler, Vincent & Plotkin
Guardian Medical Group
Gulf Coast Window, LLC
Haydel's Construction & Restoration, LLC
Holmes Health Care Services, LLC
Home Audit Inspections, LLC
Hurricane Fence Company, Inc.
In Your Home Care
Joule Energy LA, LLC
Jump N 2 It, LLC
Kollins Services
L. Murphy Trucking Service, Inc.
M.S.H.D.'s, LLC
Maid In America of N.O. Supplies, Inc.
Mike Neely Insurance Agency
Modern Home Improvements, LLC
Mold Testing & Remediation LLC
NOLA Fine Art, Inc.
PAETEC
Peace of Mind Security, Inc.
Pelican Plumbing
Permacoat
Pro Energy Consultants
Rodriquez General Renovations & Flooring
Short Stop Poboys
Simple.com, LLC
St. Amant Jewelers
Sumner's Engraving, Inc.
Tax Service of America
Terrebonne Homecare
That's A Wrap Restaurant
The Insurance Center of New Orleans, LLC
The Mortgage Lending Group, Inc.
Time Efficient Service LLC
Uptown Flagstone Natural Stone Products
Wego #61
Yee Chinese Restaurant, Inc.
 
We Salute You

These companies are loyal and supportive BBB Accredited Businesses. They are representative of the many sizes and types of businesses that uphold the BBB Standards of Trust. Each has been randomly selected and the starting year of their BBB Accreditation is noted below.

Each BBB Accredited Business has committed to the BBB Standards for Trust.

                   We Salute You 6-10              
 
Please feel free to contact us if you find that this e-mail has been directed to an incorrect address, or if you need to change your company's contact information.
phone:  (504) 522-9363     fax:  (504) 524-9110     e-mail: info@neworleans.bbb.org