bbb's secure september 2014€¦ · bbb's secure your id day sept. 20, 2014 bbb is once...
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BBB's Secure Your ID DaySept. 20, 2014
BBB is once again partneringwith NeoShred for our semiannual Secure Your ID Day
this Saturday, September 20, 2014, from 9am12pm.
Consumers and businesses inthe Akron area are
encouraged to take advantageof this free community
shredding event that will beheld at NeoShred,
895 E Tallmadge Avenue,Akron OH 44310 to safely dispose ofdocuments containingpersonal information.
"Identity theft is an enormousproblem, but there are a
number of steps you can taketo secure your personalinformation," said Christy
Page, CEO & President of BBBserving Ashland, Medina,
Portage, Richland, Summit &Wayne Counties. "Documentslike preapproved credit card
offers, bank accountstatements, old insurancepolicies, and such should beshredded and not just thrownin the trash," Page added.
Click here if you wonder what you should keep, and what to get rid of. For more
tips on protecting your identity visit
go.bbb.org/akron-shred.
September 2014
BBB Investigation:Akron Payroll &Tax Withholds
Taxes But Fails toDeliver to IRS orState of Ohio
BBB advises consumers about Akronarea company'sservice issues.
Businesses and consumers who do business with Akronarea payroll service, Akron Payroll & Tax, report havingtheir tax payments withdrawn from their bank account,but those funds have not been submitted to the IRS or tothe State of Ohio.
BBB found a common theme among complaints filedagainst Akron Payroll & Tax. Recent complaints allegethat the company has not submitted tax payments thathad been withheld from their business accounts.Disputed amounts are in the $3,000 to $15,000 range.Akron Payroll & Tax has currently a 'D' rating on a scaleof A+ to F.
As of September 9, 2014, BBB has received threecomplaints against Akron Payroll & Tax in the past yearregarding similar problems. The company has beenunresponsive to requests to correct the problems.
BBB offers the following advice when hiring a payroll ortax service:
Do your research. Check the company's BBB Business Review at bbb.org before signing a contract. For a list of local Accredited Businesses that meet BBB Standards For Trust, go tobbb.org/akron.Get a list of references. The business should provide names, addresses, and phone numbers of atleast three clients who have services similar to yours. Ask about their experience with the provider.
Leaves are changing. Contact LandscapingContractors today foryour Fall Cleanup.
Click on the following links fordirect access to BBB Accredited
Businesses.
Landscape Contractors
Landscape Contractors Commercial
With winter only acouple of months away,it might be a good idea toget estimates for Snow
Removal.
Shop around. Get at least three bids in writing based on the same specifications, materials, labor, and time needed to complete the project. BBB's RequestAQuote service is free to use and contacts BBB Accredited Businesses to quote on your job.
BBB offers free dispute resolution services if abusiness is not responding to consumer complaints andmay launch an investigation if needed.
Click here for the full press release.
How to Handle Unwanted Phone Calls
Unwanted phone calls continue to harass manyconsumers. Such intrusions also have the potential torob people of time and money.
Here are several tips to reduce the amount ofcalls you receive:
Consider not sharing any personalinformation when shopping. If a companyrequests your name and phone number, ask whyand how they will protect it.Add your phone number to the Do Not CallRegistry at donotcall.gov, or by calling 8883821222. Be aware that political and charitablecalls and surveys are exempt from the registry.Your registry is permanent; but if your phonenumber changes, you will have to reregister thephone number.Ask to be put on a business' internal do notcall list. Telemarketers must maintain an internallist of consumers who ask them to stop calling.Don't trust your caller ID. Scammers often usea technique called 'spoofing' to mask their ownphone number to make it appear it's from a localbusiness or bank.Be wary of callers that request personalinformation or money to be sent via moneywire or prepaid cards. Banks and governmentorganizations would not contact you unexpectedlyand request personal information or payment bywiretransfer or prepaid card.
If you continue to receive unwanted calls, file acomplaint with the Federal Trade Commission.
Snow Removal Service
BBB Speaker's Bureau
BBB Professional Speakers areavailable at no cost and canspeak on various marketplace
topics, which include:
Smart Investing
Military Line
Teen Smart
In Pursuit of Ethics for Students &Professionals
Senior Scams & FraudPrograms
Contact us today at (330) 2534590 or via emailat [email protected] to
Court Summons Scam Emails Carry Malware
It's back! Some scams crop up repeatedly, each timewith a different twist. With a convincing new emailtemplate, these fake lawfirm notices claim you arebeing summoned to appear in court. But the attached"court notice" is actually malware.
How the Scam Works:You receive an email with the subject line, "Notice toappear in court No#XXX." It looks official and appears tobe from a law firm. The message says that you mustattend a court hearing, but it doesn't provide any details.
Want to know why and when you are beingsummoned? The email urges you to download theattached "court notice" to find out. The email reads: "Toview copy of the court notice click here. Please, read itthoroughly. Note: If you do not attend the hearing thejudge may hear the case in your absence."
Don't do it! The file is malware, which can infectyour computer and hunt for personal and banking
information.
How to Spot this Scam:
Be skeptical of email. Courts do not typicallysummon people via email, text message or phone.Unless you are involved in a case and have optedinto receiving email communications, courts normally communicate through mail. Pick up the phone. If you ever question whetheryou need to appear in court, call the court systemor attorney's office to check. Search for the phonenumber on the web; don't call a number in the email. Beware of variations. Watch out for different law firm names and twists on the scam. A similar con tells victims that they missed or are being summoned for jury duty. Ignore calls for immediate action. Scammers try to get you to act before you think by creating asense of urgency. Don't fall for it.
request a free BBBProfessional Speaker for your
event or group.
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BBB serving Ashland, Medina, Portage, Richland, Summit and Wayne Counties | 222 West Market Street | Akron |OH | 44303