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Smart consumers are careful with their money; before handing it over, they ensure the money is going into trusted hands. There are still thousands of businesses out there that seek to swindle unsuspecting consumers out of their money. To protect yourself from being scammed, use trusted organizations online to research businesses you want to use.
Use sites like Canada 411 to gauge consumers’ reactions of the business. Typically, when a business can’t be trusted, unhappy customers will post their thoughts and detail their negative experiences. However, if you find that dozens or even hundreds of consumers have had pleasant experiences with the business, you can move forward knowing that the business has become a trusted establishment within the community.
Visit the Better Business Bureau to determine how the business rates. The BBB gives businesses a letter grade from A+ to F, and on the site you can search for businesses to find out what grade it has received. The ratings are based on a number of factors, including the length of time the business has been operating, the number of complaints filed against the business and the amount of background information the BBB can obtain on the company. While on the site, you can also file a complaint against a company.
Visit Consumer Reports. This site offers product reviews on hundreds of different items, from television and coffeemakers to automobiles. If you’re interested in purchasing an item from a particular company, you can see how this item is rated, as well as how other products from the company fare.
