The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. These stories are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Stories are not available for download but can be easily ordered by contacting the Resource Center:
Search results for "BBB" ...
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ABC News Partnership: Better Business Bureau Investigation
The ABC News Investigative Unit along with six ABC local affiliate stations conducted an unprecedented investigation of the Better Business Bureau.
Tags: BBB; Better Business Bureau; pay-to-play; finance; consumer watchdog
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Brian Ross Investigates: Better Business Bureau -- Pay to Play Scandal
An investigation of the Better Business Bureau revealed it was running a "pay to play" scheme. Businesses that paid for a BBB membership were given A plus ratings while those that didn't received F ratings. Following the investigation, the BBB immediately apologized and launched an internal investigation.
Tags: BBB; Better Business Bureau; consumer watchdog; business; scam
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Taking Care of Business
"In 'Taking Care of Business,' staff writer Neil Parmar reveals a BBB that consumers are far less familiar with: a group whose funding and governance comes almost solely from the business world, one that has collected information from consumers and sold it without their knowledge. It's a portrait that calls into serious question the BBB's image as the little guy's knight in shining armor."
Tags: BBB; Better Business Bureau; consumer protection;
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Rental Rip-Offs
KCOP-TV reports that "Rental services claim that, for a fee, they would five would-be renters a daily, updated list of available apartments that meet the renter's specifications. The services even claim to have exclusive listings.... we went undercover to two local rental services.. Neither service found apartments for us that met our specifications. And the daily lists they gave us repeatedly showed apartments that were already rented...."
Tags: TAPE TRANSCRIPT Better Business Bureau BBB fraud housing LA Home Rentals LA Valley Management
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Telemarketing Scam
With hidden cameras and false identities, a team of reporters goes undercover to investigate a telemarketing firm's illegal practice of "slamming" - using deceptive means to convince consumers to change their long-distance phone company. As a result of the report, the firm went out of business.
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The Resnick Files
This investigation took six months of searching in six states to track down the mastermind of a slew of vacation scams. Alan Resnick's three companies reportedly bilked thousands of clients out of thousands of dollars paid for vacations they never took. The climax of this investigation shows Resnick's arrest by South Carolina police.
Tags: TAPE TRANSCRIPT rip-off; check fraud; credit card fraud Platinum Travel Global Reservations Inc. Promotional Incentives Better Business Bureau BBB
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Free Money
20/20 exposes "a nationwide company that promises parents money -- scholarships for college for their children -- but does not deliver on its promises... our hidden cameras captured company representatives claiming they helped thousands of students find millions of dollars in scholarship money, a claim that didn't hold up.. parents were enticed into paying $850 each by guarantees that they'd get thousands of dollars in scholarship money in return..."
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No title (id: 6528)
Orange County (Calif.) Register investigates telemarketing investment scams; found boiler room swindlers who were forced out of business in the early '80s returning with new fraudulent schemes, Dec. 17 - 19, 1989, and Jan. 15, 1990.
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No title (id: 3669)
Riverfront Times (St. Louis) details how most of the St. Louis media downplayed or ignored a Better Business Bureau report alleging the city's largest furniture retailer used misleading ads and sales tactics; finds print and broadcast media tried to avoid printing or airing negative stories about one of their biggest advertisers, Feb. 22 - 28, 1989.