- Report: #1402276
Complaint Review: BBB of Los Angeles CA - Nationwide
Reported By:
Commercial maintenance -
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.A.
Submitted:
Updated:
-
Author Confirmed
Why?
BBB of Los Angeles CA
Nationwide, USA
Web:
www.bbb.org
Categories:
Business Rating:
(0)
Tell us has your experience with this business or person been good?
BBB of Los Angeles CA Carina Alaniz and the California LA BBB Lazy? Don’t care about legitimate complaint L.A. California Nationwide
So, a few days ago I filed a complaint with the BBB of California. I have been getting relentless “we have a lead for you texts” from a widely known scam company called Smith better known as GoSmith. Despite repeatedly asking them by phone, text, and email to STOP texting me, they continue. (for years) To make matters worse, they utilize a service to continually rotate and change the number that it shows they are calling from, making blocking these texts impossible.
I believe GoSmith’s practices of robotexting, falsifying their phone number, and refusing to maintain (and abide by) a “do not call” list are all against the law.
So I filed a complaint with the BBB about them. The BBB has them listed here:
The BBB page on Gosmith has 13 complaints (which, curiously, you cannot read as the link is disabled) and 5 reviews, all negative. If you do a little googling, you will find a VAST number of complaints about GoSmith.
Yet, SOMEHOW, Gosmith maintains a pretty nice B- rating with the BBB???
Well, yesterday, I got a response from Carina Alaniz at the BBB. It reads (in full):
complaint ID#: 571997
Business Name: Smith dba GoSmith.com
Thank you for contacting BBB regarding your complaint.
We regret to inform you that BBB cannot process your complaint. The case has been reviewed and was found to contain issues that are out of BBB's Purview. Your complaint would be best handled by the Attorney General's office listed below:
CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY GENERAL
California Department of Justice
Attn: Public Inquiry Unit
P.O. Box 944255
Sacramento, CA 94244-2550
Phone: (916) 322-3360 or
Toll-free in California: (800) 952-5225
Fax: (916) 323-5341
Web: https://oag.ca.gov/
Although we are unable to assist at this time, please remember that your BBB provides many valuable services to you both prior to making a purchase and after. If we can be of service to you in the future, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Sincerely,
Carina Alaniz
Complaint Specialist
BBB Complaint Department
Business Name: Smith dba GoSmith.com
Thank you for contacting BBB regarding your complaint.
We regret to inform you that BBB cannot process your complaint. The case has been reviewed and was found to contain issues that are out of BBB's Purview. Your complaint would be best handled by the Attorney General's office listed below:
CALIFORNIA ATTORNEY GENERAL
California Department of Justice
Attn: Public Inquiry Unit
P.O. Box 944255
Sacramento, CA 94244-2550
Phone: (916) 322-3360 or
Toll-free in California: (800) 952-5225
Fax: (916) 323-5341
Web: https://oag.ca.gov/
Although we are unable to assist at this time, please remember that your BBB provides many valuable services to you both prior to making a purchase and after. If we can be of service to you in the future, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Sincerely,
Carina Alaniz
Complaint Specialist
BBB Complaint Department
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
That was the BBB response. Total dust off. I have to say, BBB, what IS your job then? You give a company a good rating, despite repeated complaints, ALL bad reviews, ILLEGAL practices, and enough complaints on the web to crash a hard drive? Really?
So, BBB, I'm curious as to what are the "many valuable services" you DO provide. Because I'm really not super thrilled with the "We provide good reviews for, and ignore legitimate complaints against, SCAM companies that harass hard working people and break the law with their business practices" service.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
Yes Robert.
#2Author of original report
Tue, September 26, 2017
Robert, what did I say to garner that response? I know the BBB has no "power", and I'm also well aware of their "pay to play" way of doing business. My main point was, that in addition to utterly ignoring a legitimate complaint (based on their own guidlines, which I read) They also are maintaing a good rating for a company that is pretty much universally considered a total scam company. And one that blatantly uses illegal practices, continuously. Smith isn't even a paying member of the BBB.
Robert
Irvine,California,
USA
And?
#3Consumer Comment
Mon, September 25, 2017
What ever gave you the idea that the BBB had any "power"? They are NOT a government agency, they have no legal authority to do anything. They can "ask" a company to do something, and the legitimate ones may try to solve the issue. But any "scam" company or one that doesn't care is not going to give the BBB the time of day.
In addition, companies pay to be a member. You can read many stories of their "Pay-to-Play" scandals. Where if a business wanted a good rating all they need to do is pay up.
