Contact the Better Business Bureau closest to you. They collect information on many businesses, and you can investigate a company's history through them. For information about the location of Better Business Bureaus nationwide, visit http://welcome.bbb.org/.
Some businesses require licensing or permits by city, county, or state government agencies. These government offices would also be a source of information on whether a company is legitimate or has had documented problems with customers or had a license to do business revoked.
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