Posted by Yowheelz on 7/29/08 9:23am
Msg #257448

I have found BBB worthless

I keep seeing suggestions to file a complaint with the BBB but everytime I have done this I have gotten a letter back saying that this was a business to business deal and that they would not get involved. Same goes with filing complaints with the various States Attorney Office. I will never again file a complaint with either of these entities as it is useless! Seems our alternatives are debt collection agencies, the courts and forums like this to warn each other of deadbeats.

Reply by CopperheadVA on 7/29/08 10:04am
Msg #257453

I've never had BBB reject a complaint, but when filing with the BBB I think it makes a difference how you phrase your complaint. The BBB will tell you that it does not get involved in payment issues, but if you phrase it that the company failed to live up to it's contractual obligations, and stress that throughout your complaint, then it seems to be more successful.

A BBB complaint probably won't help in getting you paid, but it at least puts a black mark on that company's BBB file and could possibly make someone else steer clear of them in the future.

Reply by ZeeCA on 7/29/08 10:14am
Msg #257455

I don't know about other states but BBB in CAlIF is pretty

worthless and has no teeth to do much. always has been that way... I am always surprised if someone says another state BBB does anything to assist..... besides they won't help you collect... that is for the court system

Reply by Hugh Nations Signing Agents of Austin on 7/29/08 10:41am
Msg #257459

The BBB is designed to be a forum for >>>consumers<<< to file their complaints. Signing agents are not consumers. Signing agents are businesses, and should adopt that mind-set.

The same thing applies to state attorneys general. They don't exist to pursue bad debts for businesses. If a signing agent can establish that the failure to pay is the result of a pattern that rises to the level of fraud, then the attorney general might have a role, whether that fraud was civil or criminal or both. Failure to pay is not, in and of itself, fraudulent.

Businesses take risks; risks sometimes involve losses. Businesses have avenues, sometimes effective, sometimes not, to collect on those losses. The BBB and state attorneys general are generally not among those avenues.

Reply by John_NorCal on 7/29/08 10:47am
Msg #257460

**Signing agents are not consumers. Signing agents are businesses, and should adopt that mind-set. **
Amen! I have always been amazed at the mindset that recommends calling the BBB for non payment issues. As you and Zee have said, the BBB was created for consumers not business people (which is what a signing agent is supposed to be) they could not care less about a signing agents non payment issues. The same goes for the secretary of state office, they are not in the business of collecting money. Give them some issue of illegal acts then maybe, just maybe, a person will get a response.
But for debt collection issues, get a collection agency or possibly a lawyer folks!

Reply by CopperheadVA on 7/29/08 10:59am
Msg #257464

I have written letters to a few Secretaries of State. One in particular was very effective. It did result in me being paid. One reason why the Sec of State may have taken an interest in my case was because the corporation in question had not filed the required annual report for 2 or 3 years. Sec of State contacted the company and said they were going to shut them down for non-payment of a notary. Maybe I got lucky, but it worked for me in that particular case when collecting from US Title AKA US Settlement Corp in North Carolina.

Reply by ZeeCA on 7/29/08 11:03am
Msg #257465

I think when you are owed you try EVERY avenue and whatever

works to get your $$$ but don't be surprised what works and what doesn't. I have had conversations w/ the State AG that have been beneficial.... not the AG forcing payment but his helping me find an avenue to get paid since it was an off shore company (another business not NSA) and we discussed NSA's not getting paid and any suggestions. His answer? Small claims court PERIOD.

Reply by cntrlcalntry on 7/29/08 11:04am
Msg #257467

Wish we could just have these people put in jail! n/m

Reply by sue_pa on 7/29/08 12:39pm
Msg #257488

Re: Wish we could just have these people put in jail!

I'm guessing debtor's prison was abolished back in the 1700s. I'm also guessing one of the only civil obligations that constitutes imprisonment in today's world is failure to pay child support.

Reply by Hugh Nations Signing Agents of Austin on 7/29/08 12:57pm
Msg #257494

Re: Wish we could just have these people put in jail!

Wish we could just have these people put in jail!***

I'm sorry to pounce, but I find this sort of talk really chilling.

Do you not have any grasp of the difference between civil and criminal offenses? If you did, would it make any difference?

This country was populated by religious refugees -- and refugees from debtors prisons. Four hundred years later it's really disturbing to see that kind of nonsense bandied about. How do you feel about using thumbscrews on people because they don't believe as you do?

Reply by Derrick/MT on 7/29/08 1:28pm
Msg #257502

Re: Wish we could just have these people put in jail!

Actually thumbscrews sound like a great idea, then we can eliminate all the lawyers. Or, we could keep the lawyers around and practice using the thumbscrews on them.