When you’re planning to make a purchase, two of the most crucial factors you will inevitably compare are the prices and the various companies that offer the product or service you need. Did you know that BBB can give you a list of companies and their prices at the same time? BBB’s online directory, Member Pages, is completely free and it is an extremely simple way to find businesses you can trust and prices you can afford.

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BBB is partnering with the City of Austin, local universities, chambers of commerce, nonprofit associations and small businesses to collaboratively host the nation's first citywide internship program.

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Between April 17th and April 19th, consumers on the PlayStation Network were unfortunately victims of a data breach and now have their personal information potentially compromised. This includes their PlayStation Network login, password and security answers as well as name, address, purchase history, billing address and credit card information. While Sony has turned off their PlayStation Network and enlisted an outside security firm to conduct an investigation, any person with an active PlayStation Network account should do the following:

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Many people use both credit and debit cards interchangeably out of habit. The main difference between a debit and a credit card purchase is that a debit card creates a DIRECT link to your bank account and money can be taken out quickly. Generally, a debit card is fine for most things, but the following 4 purchases should be made with a credit card whenever possible:

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Your BBB is offering FREE shredding and recycling at the annual 2011 Spring Shred Day this month. From 9am – 1pm, BBB will be at the following locations collecting up to 5 boxes of paper documents, compact disks, floppy disks and old cell phones for shredding and recycling.

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If you're not familiar with the term "scareware," it is when a web page you are viewing disguises itself as a pop-up window claiming you need to install a security update. It "scare"s you into clicking on a link that downloads mal"ware" onto your computer. The window is VERY official looking:

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The historic earthquake and resulting tsunami in Japan has left hundreds of thousands of people in need of help. If you plan to donate money to assist with the relief efforts, BBB wants to help you make sure your donation ends up in the right hands! Here are five tips for making safe donations:

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To kick-off the celebration of National Consumer Protection Week (March 6-12, 2011), BBB is excited to announce today that we’ve redesigned our BBB Business Review search website! Over 65 million businesses were researched on bbb.org in 2010, proving that more and more people are relying on BBB Business Reviews to find trustworthy businesses and make well-informed purchase decisions.

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Are you hoping to buy your first home this year? If so, check out the special event that we have coming up during National Consumer Protection Week on Tuesday, March 8, 2011 – you won’t want to miss it!

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Valentine’s Day is less than a week away. While many people plan dates with significant others, look to get into the dating scene or simply want to let friends and family know that they care, scammers may unfortunately try to take advantage of the heightened communication around this special day. BBB wants you to be aware of 3 common scams that typically make an appearance during this time of year:

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This Sunday, January 9th at 7pm, NBC Dateline will debut a new series called "The Hansen Files" featuring investigative reporter Chris Hansen. The first episode was done with the help of the Better Business Bureau to expose a nationwide scheme involving less than trustworthy air duct cleaning companies.

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Last year, your BBB received over 23,000 complaints from consumers who felt they were taken advantage of by a business. Those looking for jobs, struggling to make money or get out of debt were the most common targets of scammers, hackers and deceptive businesses in 2010.

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145 million people nationwide will take part in early holiday shopping on Black Friday or Cyber Monday this year. Whether your plans include a shopping cart or a computer, BBB reminds you to keep a few things in mind while getting in the holiday spirit…

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The holiday shopping season will be in full gear this time next week, but it's not always the shopper that needs to be wary. This week, we received a concerned email from a local consumer who had placed an ad on Craigslist to sell her furniture. Someone had inquired about her ad, but unfortunately was too busy to come by in person to pick it up and wanted instead to send a check to pay for the furniture. Sounds innocent enough right? Here is where it gets interesting...

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These five holiday season scams are sure to steal your cheer. As you shop for your friends and family, look out for the common threats that BBB sees every year…

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A common way consumers can be tricked into a sweepstakes scam is when the person who initiates the contact identifies with a well known organization or government entity. Luckily the person who called BBB yesterday wasn't fooled by a phone call from the "Federal Gaming Commission."

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According to recent investigations by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the amount of inaccurate charges added to cell phone bills is on the rise. The billing of hidden or unexpected charges is called bill “cramming” or bill “shock.” BBB wants you to know how to prevent these additional fees from popping up on your monthly statements.

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Today, the last of several changes to the FTC's Telemarketing Sales Rule go into effect. These regulations will protect consumers from for-profit companies that sell debt relief services over the phone. Whether the company calls you, or you respond to advertising from a for-profit credit counseling, debt settlement or debt negotiation service, the company CANNOT collect an advance fee for their service until:

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Shred Day is coming up THIS Saturday for San Antonio and Austin business owners and consumers. While BBB will gladly accept your old documents and records, we do want to make sure you're not discarding things you should be keeping. That's why we have the following records retention schedule for you to use as a guide BEFORE packing those boxes and bags into your car:

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With Shred Day coming up this weekend and next weekend, it's important for consumers to remember that “Green Marketing” is becomming more and more popular. All kinds of products and events are being labeled or advertised with claims they are environmentally friendly. But which claims are truthful? Here's a few red flags that a product may not be as advertised:

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