According to the Federal Trade Commission, Minnesotans lost $144.6 million due to fraud in 2024. Scammers posing as legitimate businesses are among the culprits, even some with positive Google reviews.
“We are one of the most visited websites in the country with more than 220 million visitors a year,” said Kari Niedfeldt-Thomas, president and chief executive officer of the Better Business Bureau (BBB) of Minnesota and North Dakota. “A lot of people are checking out businesses at the BBB.”
The BBB works to offer a trusted community marketplace by creating a place for consumers to check on businesses and also a place where businesses can get accredited, which is a process built on 8 standards. “You need to have committed to transparency and offer clarity around your pricing, among other criteria,” said Niedfeldt-Thomas.
According to its website, to be BBB accredited, a business must be in operation for at least six months, be properly licensed and bonded, have no unresolved government or customer complaints, and maintain a good ethical and legal record. Businesses have to meet BBB’s accreditation standards, which include eight pillars: build trust, advertise honestly, tell the truth, be transparent, honor promises, be responsive, safeguard privacy, and embody integrity.
“Customers are four times more likely to select working with a BBB-accredited business than a non-accredited business because of the trust that the BBB seal carries,” explained Niedfeldt-Thomas.
Those businesses that receive accreditation also enjoy additional benefits from the BBB, including access to a video production studio to create advertisements and headshots. “We can also help by sharing information like the new consumer protection laws,” Niedfeldt-Thomas added.
Consumers are also using BBB resources, including the BBB scam tracker, which is a free tool anyone can use to report suspected scams and warn others so they can avoid getting conned. Clear icons on the website allow users to report a scam or look up a scam to research if a business they are working with has been reported. In 2021 alone, it is estimated the BBB scam tracker helped consumers avoid losing $31 million to scammers.
“We are this impartial party looking out for both sides of the marketplace to make sure trust and transparency continue and that ethical businesses can get recognition for the work they do,” said Niedfeldt-Thomas.
You can learn more at the BBB of Minnesota and North Dakota Annual Meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 16, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at CHS Field in St. Paul. The event will celebrate new and existing businesses and allow for networking.