BBB ALERT: THE DR. IS NOT IN!

CONWAY, S.C. -- The following information was released by the Council of Better Business Bureaus:

The Better Business Bureau of Coastal Carolina is issuing a nationwide alert to consumers regarding "Dr. Bass, LLC"[yen], an online store that sells custom built speaker cabinets based out of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The BBB has received 39 complaints against Dr. Bass since October of 2008, the majority of which allege that products are not being received. Consumers are purchasing products on the Dr. Bass website, paying for them in full, but either never received the product or they are sent a completely different product than what was ordered. Out of the total number of complaints we have processed, 28 of them have gone unanswered by the business. These complaints come to our BBB office from various states, including: SC, NC, CA, CO, NY, TX, WI, VA, FL, HI, OR, MO, MD, and Puerto Rico.

The South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs office has also received 13 complaints about Dr. Bass that have gone unanswered.

"Sometimes we see this sort of thing when an internet-based business gets too big to handle"[yen], said Kathy Graham, President/CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Coastal Carolina, Inc. "The appropriate action would be for Dr. Bass to respond to consumer concerns and let the BBB work with them to help resolve the issues"[yen]. Graham continued, "Since Dr. Bass has chosen to not respond to their unhappy customers, they leave the impression of being just another scam, and that leaves a lot of frustrated and angry consumers out there with no relief in sight"[yen].

The BBB offers the following tips for consumers to protect themselves when purchasing over the Internet:

Verify the company's contact information (name, address, phone numbers) before you give out any personal information.

Read the terms and conditions carefully. If you don't understand them, ask. If you are unable to get a suitable response, don't do business with the company.

Use a credit card for your purchase instead of a debit card. Debit cards take money out of your checking account, immediately.

If a pop-up appears after purchasing an item, read the box carefully to see how you can close it out without agreeing to a purchase.

The mission of the Better Business Bureau is to promote, through self-regulation, the highest standards of business ethics and conduct, and to instill confidence in responsible businesses through programs of education and action that inform, protect and assist the general public. Contact the BBB by phone at (843)488-2227, or http://coastalcarolina.bbb.org or investigations@coastalcarolina.bbb.org

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