 Better Business Bureau (BBB) Scam Tracker: More than 3,600 

Better Business Bureau of the Tricounties

The Tri-Counties Better Business Bureau has just issued a new report on scams to Businesses. In 2024, the local BBB logged nearly 1,800,000 reliability reports from local citizens. The new BBB® business scams study shows that stolen data, impostors and fake services have been doing great harm to businesses across North America. Since 2022, business scam reports to BBB Scam TrackerSM have totaled more than 3,600. These scams involved employee and vendor impersonations, theft of social media accounts, data breaches, and many more scam types. Reports to Better Business Bureau® show that business scammers can steal hundreds of thousands of dollars in a flash without proper protections. Further reports to federal agencies show total losses of billions each year. In the “BBB Study: How impostors, stolen data, and fake services cost businesses billions," the International Investigations Initiative examines patterns of reports, reviews the amount of money lost and shares stories from those caught up in the scams so businesses can avoid them. Key findings: Business scams are ubiquitous across North America and come in many forms. Losses are staggering for businesses. The average data breach costs a company $4.9 million, a figure that excludes some of the largest losses. Data breaches cost businesses a total of $1.4 billion in 2024,according to FBI data. Billions more are stolen through elaborate schemes, such as business email compromise scams, where scammers steal employees’ identities and use them to convince others to hand over cash or sensitive information. Business scam reports across North America (2023-2024): 3,647 – BBB Scam Tracker 74,489 – Federal Bureau of Investigation 9,286 – Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre All businesses who have experienced scams are encouraged to report them to the local BBB.

Santa Barbara County

santa maria-santa barbara

Santa Barbara

California

The Tri-Counties Better Business Bureau has just issued a new report on scams to Businesses. In 2024, the local BBB logged nearly 1,800,000...

SANTA BARBARA, CA — Six people were injured Saturday when a catering van hit a car and pedestrians at Stearns Wharf, according to a report. The incident happened about 4 p.m. Saturday, <a href="https://keyt.com/news/traffic/2025/01/11/six-injured-at-stearns-wharf-after-minivan-hits-both-sedan-and-pedestrians/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Your News Channel 12-3-11</a> reported. The report said the injuries were minor to moderate.The catering van first hit the car, which had four people inside, then hit the pedestrians, the report said, quoting the Santa Barbara City Fire Department, which responded to assist the injured. The catering van went into the eating area on the wharf, John Palminteri, an independent journalist, <a href="https://x.com/JohnPalminteri/status/1878244147397886372" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">wrote in a tweet on X</a>. Photos showed the catering van sitting in the eating area and damage that was done.Palminteri said the driver had been detained.

SANTA BARBARA, CA — Six people were injured Saturday when a catering van hit a car and pedestrians at Stearns Wharf, according to a report.

The incident happened about 4 p.m. Saturday, <a href="https://keyt.com/news/traffic/2025/01/11/six-injured-at-stearns-wharf-after-minivan-hits-both-sedan-and-pedestrians/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Your News Channel 12-3-11</a> reported. The report said the injuries were minor to moderate.The catering van first hit the car, which had four people inside, then hit the pedestrians, the report said, quoting the Santa Barbara City Fire Department, which responded to assist the injured.

The catering van went into the eating area on the wharf, John Palminteri, an independent journalist, <a href="https://x.com/JohnPalminteri/status/1878244147397886372" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">wrote in a tweet on X</a>. Photos showed the catering van sitting in the eating area and damage that was done.Palminteri said the driver had been detained.

6 Hurt As Van Hits Car, Pedestrians At Wharf In...

The catering van drove into an eating area at Stearns Wharf on Saturday, the reports said. 

6 Hurt As Van Hits Car, Pedestrians At Wharf In Santa Barbara: Reports

6 Hurt As Van Hits Car, Pedestrians At Stearns Wharf In Santa Barbara: Reports