Better Business Bureau BBB on Long Island No help just giving us BS about Bell Atlantic rip-off

I contacted the BBB on Long Island (New York) about unsubstantial charges and insufficient refunds from phone bills with Bell Atlantic. They forwarded the complaint to the BBB in White Plains (Westchester County, NY), stating that Bell Atlantic was their responsibility, since the Bell Atlantic
headquarters were located in Westchester (that is only partially true).

6 weeks later I received a letter asking for photocopies of my phone bill, the cancelled check front and back, and detailed information of the case, which was already supplied to the Long Island BBB. I sent all the required info to Westchester. A month later -- I had not heard from the BBB -- I sent another letter to the BBB on Long Island, which was forwarded to Westchester.

Westchester then called stating that since they were not in possession of the requested information I had failed to supply them with, they would not be able to process the complaint unless I would comply with their request. At this point I faxed the phone bill, cancelled check, and detailed information (which they did not have or could not find either) to Westchester. I called and got confirmation that they were in possession of
all the necessary info.

5 weeks later I got a note from the BBB in New York City. The case was forwarded to them. They required from me: a photocopy of the phone bill, cancelled check front and back, and detailed information of the complaint.

As of now (15 months later) the complaint was never answered or resolved! Bell Atlantic got away with theft with the help of the BBB. I guess the fee they pay them to jerk around their clients pays off at the end, since they literally bought themselves a license to steal by being a member of the BBB.

It's a disgrace that an organization pretending to be there for the consumer is actually as corrupt if not corrupter than the crooked companies they represent!

The minimum that should be done is to make the public aware that the consumer has no recourse at all when a giant corporation wants to steal from them. They have the financial means to protect themselves with make-believe justice, and don't be fooled the BBB is nothing but an insult to consumers.

Using tactics like the NYPD: murder an innocent, unarmed citizen, make up a story and broadcast it heavily through the media by demonizing and blaming the victim, then blame the press for broadcasting it, and finally jerk the victim's family around. The press should have the guts to report on this
instead of showing politician congratulate themselves for doing such a great job on convicting and prosecuting jaywalkers.

ohurs@hotmail.com

e-3-31-00