http://central-westernma.bbb.org/WWWRoot//SitePage.aspx?site=167&id=a824b759-3137-43b5-aedf-a38056bcce73&debug=False 10 Thu, 24 May 2012 05:00:00 GMT BBB is urging consumers and donors to be on the lookout for deals that seem too good to be true, and for disreputable charities. http://central-westernma.bbb.org/article/memorial-day-scams-target-military-families-supporters-34066 Thu, 10 Nov 2011 06:00:00 GMT While the nation honors Veteran’s Day, your Better Business Bureau warns veterans and their families that scammers also may be victimizing veterans, especially those who are frail and elderly. http://central-westernma.bbb.org/article/bbb-warns-about-scams-against-veterans-30535 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 05:00:00 GMT If you’re struggling either to sell a house or to qualify for a home mortgage, a lease-option or rent-to-own deal may sound tempting. In theory, both sides win. But is this deal too good to be true? http://central-westernma.bbb.org/article/is-rent-to-own-a-scam-27974 Tue, 21 Jun 2011 05:00:00 GMT Scammers appear to be targeting veterans and military families claiming they have won a sweepstakes from Stars and Stripes, reports Stripes.com http://central-westernma.bbb.org/article/stars-and-stripes-sweepstakes-scam-28076 Fri, 07 Jan 2011 06:00:00 GMT New statistics show an increase in the unemployment rates for young veterans throughout the U.S. even though national unemployment rate fell slightly in December from 9.8 percent to 9.4 percent http://central-westernma.bbb.org/article/unemployment-trends-among-young-veterans--24709 Fri, 10 Dec 2010 06:00:00 GMT Attorney General Eric Holder recently announced the results of Operation Broken Trust, organized the Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force to target investment fraud, according to a FBI press release. http://central-westernma.bbb.org/article/operation-broken-trust-results-released-24160 Thu, 09 Dec 2010 06:00:00 GMT Members of the military are no strangers to offering up their social security number.However, this practice subjects military members to an increased threat of identity theft. http://central-westernma.bbb.org/article/military-members-at-risk-for-identity-theft-24146 Thu, 18 Nov 2010 06:00:00 GMT A new web-portal aimed at helping veterans, reserve-component members, their families and wounded warriors land jobs was recently launched, reports the Department of Defense. http://central-westernma.bbb.org/article/department-of-defense-launches-new-military-employment-web-portal-23650 Tue, 26 Oct 2010 05:00:00 GMT The IRS recently issued guidance for homeowners who suffered property losses due to the effects of imported drywall installed in homes between 2001 and 2009. http://central-westernma.bbb.org/article/irs-issues-guidance-for-drywall-damage-23029 Tue, 05 Oct 2010 05:00:00 GMT The website, bnbsforvets.org recently announced that B&Bs and Inns across the country are providing rooms free of charge to honor servicemen and women currently serving or who have previously served their country on November 10, 2010, in observance of Veteran’s Day on November 11, 2010. http://central-westernma.bbb.org/article/bandbs-and-inns-to-offer-free-rooms-to-miltary-members-22631 Tue, 05 Oct 2010 05:00:00 GMT The U.S. Department of Defense recently announced that the deadline to apply for Retroactive Stop Loss Special Pay (RSLSP) has been extended to Dec. 3, 2010. http://central-westernma.bbb.org/article/deadline-for-retroactive-stop-loss-special-pay-extended-22600 Tue, 05 Oct 2010 05:00:00 GMT The Department of Justice recently announced that it filed a civil antitrust lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. It challenges rules that credit card companies such as American Express, MasterCard and Visa have instituted that prevent merchants from offering consumer discounts, rewards and information about card costs, ultimately resulting in consumers paying for more of their purchases. http://central-westernma.bbb.org/article/department-of-justice-files-lawsult-against-credit-card-companies-22605 Fri, 01 Oct 2010 05:00:00 GMT The Orlando Sentinel reported in a recent article about a global identity theft scheme that used stolen corporate information to scam hundreds of thousands of job hunters. http://central-westernma.bbb.org/article/identity-theft-scam-targets-job-hunters-22503 Thu, 23 Sep 2010 05:00:00 GMT The Army Times reported that defense officials have expanded the time frame for classes that qualify for payment under the current Military Spouse Career Advancement Account program. http://central-westernma.bbb.org/article/dod-extends-cutoff-on-mycaa-class-dates-22378 Wed, 15 Sep 2010 05:00:00 GMT The housing market in the United States may not be thriving, but business is booming for foreclosure rescue and loan modification scammers. http://central-westernma.bbb.org/article/foreclosure-rescue-scams-are-going-strong-22214 Wed, 18 Aug 2010 05:00:00 GMT If you moved and were unable to sell or rent out your house, you may be surprised to find that your homeowner’s insurance could stop covering it if it sits vacant for too long. http://central-westernma.bbb.org/article/your-vacant-home-may-not-be-insured-21705 Tue, 17 Aug 2010 05:00:00 GMT An online ad offering a credit protection number (CPN) to clean up your credit score may sound like the perfect solution for bad credit. The problem is that the CPN is really a stolen Social Security Number (SSN), often belonging to a child. http://central-westernma.bbb.org/article/scam-alert--websites-sell-ssns-as-credit-score-fixers-21662 Tue, 17 Aug 2010 05:00:00 GMT More changes to the rules for credit card companies are on the way, effective August 22nd. These changes will affect penalty fees and rate increases on your credit card account. http://central-westernma.bbb.org/article/watch-out-for-new-credit-card-rules-21658 Fri, 13 Aug 2010 05:00:00 GMT Customers who swiped their credit cards or debit cards at an Army and Air Force Exchange Service store anytime between Aug. 7 and Aug. 9 may have been charged twice for the same transaction. http://central-westernma.bbb.org/article/glitch-may-have-doublecharged-aafes-customers-21600 Fri, 13 Aug 2010 05:00:00 GMT State and local authorities have issued a nationwide arrest warrant on identity fraud charges for the director of a Florida-based charity purporting to raise money for Navy veterans, Ohio’s attorney general said Thursday. http://central-westernma.bbb.org/article/ohio-ag-navy-vets-group-leader-stole-identity-21599 Fri, 13 Aug 2010 05:00:00 GMT More than 1,100 private and public schools have signed agreements with the Veterans Affairs Department to reduce tuition for student veterans in the coming school year as part of the Post-9/11 GI Bill’s “Yellow Ribbon” program, VA announced Wednesday. http://central-westernma.bbb.org/article/va-issues-new-yellow-ribbon-college-aid-list-21597 Wed, 28 Jul 2010 05:00:00 GMT New Federal Trade Commission settlements banned eight marketers from selling mortgage modification or foreclosure relief services. http://central-westernma.bbb.org/article/ftc-settlement-bans-deceptive-mortgage-sellers--21142 Thu, 22 Jul 2010 05:00:00 GMT Getting out of the military soon? Thinking of applying for a job with the United Nations (UN) using the skills you picked up during your deployments? If so, beware of fake job offers from scammers posing as UN employees. http://central-westernma.bbb.org/article/beware-of-un-job-scams-21011 Thu, 22 Jul 2010 05:00:00 GMT On July 1st, new rules went into effect concerning overdrafts on debit or ATM cards. The change gives consumers the ability to choose what happens when you make a charge and don’t have enough money in the account. http://central-westernma.bbb.org/article/new-overdraft-rules-for-debit-and-atm-cards-21009 Thu, 22 Jul 2010 05:00:00 GMT Have you gotten a forwarded email that says all cell phone numbers are going to go public and you will be spammed by unwanted sales calls? Actually, it’s not going to happen. http://central-westernma.bbb.org/article/your-cell-number-is-not-going-public-21014 Mon, 19 Jul 2010 05:00:00 GMT The Army Times reported that military personnel who have an allotment to buy U.S. savings bonds with their pay need to take steps before the U.S. Savings Bond Payroll Savings Plan goes all electronic by the end of August. http://central-westernma.bbb.org/article/changes-to-us-miliatary-savings-bond-program-20909 Mon, 12 Jul 2010 05:00:00 GMT Read what BBB Military Line Director Holly Petraeus has to say about the rise of military-focused scams. http://central-westernma.bbb.org/article/bbb-military-line-director-talks-about-rise-of-military-targeted-scams-20756 Tue, 15 Jun 2010 05:00:00 GMT Recent and the prediction of an active 2010 hurricane season may have you wondering if you should have flood insurance. Here are some facts that may help answer your questions. http://central-westernma.bbb.org/article/flood-insurance-is-it-for-you-20471