Jun 30, 2009 6:56 pm US/Central
Craigslist Scam Uses Trusted Name, Logo
(WCCO)
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Better Business Bureau (BBB) is fielding hundreds of calls about an online scam sweeping the nation using their trusted name and reputation. (File)
AP
The online company has become a hot spot for those buying and selling items to connect.
Craigslist reports that 50 thousand users are on its site every month. Now, those who scam are apparently taking advantage of them.
The Better Business Bureau says complaints about internet fraud are up 33 percent. Scams involving undelivered merchandise and payment are the most reported crime.
The latest scam targets trusting Craigslist users.
Better Business Bureau (BBB) is fielding hundreds of calls about an online scam sweeping the nation using their trusted name and reputation.
"They certainly cannot use our logo without being an accredited business," said Better Business Bureau Vice President Barb Grieman.
However, the BBB says several companies and individual sellers on Craigslist do just that.
"It will say that the company has been accredited with the BBB or that the seller has been accredited by the Better Business Bureau," said Grieman.
The company is not. In fact, companies must meet strict requirements before they are given BBB accreditation ensuring ethical business practices.
The BBB says these scammers are fraudulently cashing in on the agency's trusted reputation and misleading the public.
"This is the overstock sales dot org fake accreditation report. So, as you can see, they've copied our report and mimicked it," said Grieman.
The BBB logo is identical and it rates the business as satisfactory.
"We don't use satisfactory and unsatisfactory anymore. We use a grading system," said Grieman.
The BBB says some individual sellers also use their logo illegally and even include an added assurance that is deceptive.
"That they belong to the BBB protection program which will protect the buyer in case the item doesn't show up," said Grieman.
The protection program does not even exist -- which leaves buyers high and dry.
"We're getting complaints from people who don't get their item," said Grieman
These people will most likely never receive the items.
There are scam warnings on every page of Craigslist. The most important is to only do business with those you meet in person.
A Craigslist spokesperson says the company goes to great lengths to prevent scams from reaching users and suppress scam attempts.
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