The American Indoor Air Quality Council is welcoming assistance in its fight against consumer fraud from a new direction -- the Better Business Bureau.

Local Better Business Bureaus around the country are contacting the IAQ Council office to verify claims of certification found on company Web sites. In cases where the claims are inaccurate, some BBBs are giving companies as little as 14 days to correct the errors or risk an unfavorable rating.

Details that often trigger a Better Business Bureau investigation include the following:

•         Claiming certifications that have expired (the IAQ Council certifies for two-year periods);

•         Claiming that a company is IAQ Council certified (the IAQ Council certifies individuals only);

•         Claiming certification by the Indoor Air Quality Association (IAQA) or the Indoor Environmental Standards Organization (IESO). (These organizations turned their certification programs over to the IAQ Council in 2006);

•         Failing to identify the certifying body that sponsors a certification program (IAQ Council certifications should be named and listed as such).

The IAQ Council's Web site features an updated list of current certificate holders and their companies.

The list can be accessed at the IAQ Council Web site.