The Better Business Bureau in Chattanooga is joining BBBs throughout North America in launching the new BBB Scam Tracker, an interactive online tool for consumers to report scams and fraud as well as warn others of malicious or suspicious activities.
BBB has always tracked and warned consumers about misleading and dishonest marketplace practices, such as scammers. But the new web site allows consumers to quickly check on possible scams and report those they experience to the Better Business Bureau.
"We believe BBB Scam Tracker will be quite popular and prove to be extremely helpful to both consumers and business owners," said Jim Winsett, president and CEO of BBB serving Southeast Tennessee and Northwest Georgia. "In addition, this greatly expands our window to the world as far as schemes targeting other regions and things we need to be monitoring closely."
Whether you have been the victim of a fraudulent scheme, wish to report a suspect offer or are simply curious about scams targeting your area, you can do so by visiting bbb.org/scamtracker. That will give you the option of filing a report or learning about scams or suspicious activity other people in your area have reported to Better Business Bureau.
BBB Scam Tracker also gives people the ability to see where scams are occurring nationally and allows them to search for fraudulent activity by keyword or within a certain timeframe.
Even if consumers or business owners do not fall victim to schemes they are confronted with, they are encouraged to file a report through BBB Scam Tracker, which was launched in other markets on a trial basis earlier this year. Encouraged by the enthusiastic response it received, Better Business Bureau is now offering it across the U.S. and Canada. In addition, the data collected through these reports will be shared with law enforcement that, with enough information on the scams and their origins, will be able to take action to shut them down.
"Schemes inevitably evolve, and the bogus pitch that raises red flags at first can sometimes be tweaked into a spiel that deceives and defrauds many," Winsett said. "The quicker we are made aware of a problem, the faster we can react to make others aware of it."