Better Business Bureau is warning business owners and consumers that the BBB name and logo are being fraudulently used by criminals in an on-going email phishing scam.
The emails look very much like notice of a complaint from BBB, but contain links to malware that can infect your computer, or steal your passwords as a start. Please be assured BBB is working with law enforcement as well as a private deactivation firm to shut down as many criminal websites as possible. To date, we have shut down well over 100 sites.
Example of email being received:
This email notification has been automatically sent to you because BBB has got a complaint, claiming that your company is violating the The Safety and Health Act.
You can download the text file with the explanation of compliant by following the link https://bitly (XXXXXX)
We also ask that you give a reply within 24 hours to us. This message should contain information about what you intend to do about it.
Important note:
When replying to us, keep the abuse ID “0192624050372:656” unchanged in the subject line.
If you get an email that looks like it is a BBB complaint, here is what you should do:
1. Do NOT click on any links or attachments.
2. Read the email carefully for signs that it may be fake (for example, misspellings, grammatical errors, generic greetings such as “Dear member” instead of a name, etc.).
3. Be wary of urgent instructions to take specified action such as “Click on the link or your account will be closed.”
4. Hover your mouse over links without clicking to see if the address is truly from bbb.org. The URL in the text should match the URL that your mouse detects. If the two do not match, it is most likely a scam.
5. Send a copy of the email to phishing@council.bbb.org (Note: This address is only for scams that use the BBB name or logo)
6. Delete the email from your computer completely (be sure to empty your “trash can” or “recycling bin,” as well).
7. Run anti-virus software updates frequently and do a full system scan.
8. Keep a close eye on your bank statements for any unexpected or unexplained transactions.
9. If you have clicked on any of the links within the email, immediately change your email and network passwords AND notify your local IT provider for next steps and actions.
If you have a business and are not certain whether the complaint is legitimate, contact your local BBB (bbb.org).