Los Angeles BBB Chapter is Expelled Because It Did Not Operate as a Better Business

Giving Hamas an A- Rating Maybe the First Clue There Was a Problem

The Better Business Bureau is a commendable organization.  The group does what government cannot objectively do, rate the quality of businesses with respect to integrity.  The BBB brand is very strong, so much so that the threat of a bad position with the BBB is enough to ensure integrity in many firms.

So the fact that the national BBB has expelled the Los Angeles chapter for taking money in return of good ratings is a good thing.  It means the national organization is at least trying to live up to its name.  The violations of the Los Angeles chapter have been well documented.

The Better Business Bureau chapter that predominantly served the Los Angeles area is no more. 

The BBB of the Southland was expelled Tuesday from the national organization, losing the right to use the BBB name and logo.

The move comes after a 2010 ABC News report which detailed the group's practice of accrediting new members and awarding them inflated ratings in exchange for cash.

And once again we have proof that the people who do these things in addition to be corrupted are also stupid.

In 2010, a group of Los Angeles business owners that had been critical of the BBB conducted a sting operation by paying dues for fake companies, including one named after the Palestinian organization, Hamas, which the U.S. government considers a terrorist group.

The fake businesses were all accredited and given ratings, according to the ABC News report. Hamas received an A-minus rating.

As for the reason Hamas got the A- instead of an A,  a spokesperson for the LA BBB chapter said

“Well we did have to penalize them somewhat and not give them a pure A rating since they are a terrorist organization responsible for murdering tens of thousands of people.  That's not very good customer service.”