For the fourth time since November, 2011, scammers have shown that they recognize the power of the BBB name. The latest misuse of the BBB trusted name is another phony complaint notification.
The message says that the recipient has a complaint pending against them with the BBB and instructs them to click on a link to see and respond to the complaint. Once clicked, malware invades the user’s computer.
The email is sent from multiple addresses and frequently to multiple addresses, with the subject line "Complaint #" followed by a nine-digit number. BBB Accredited and non-Accredited Businesses have been targeted, and some consumers have also received the email.
Some emails appear to be coming from risk@bbb.org and service@bbb.org and contain the Council of Better Business Bureau’s (CBBB) address in Arlington, VA at the bottom of the message
Other BBBs have reported a variation of this scam which instead of referencing a bogus complaint asks the business to complete a business questionnaire, so that the BBB can have complete and accurate information. Just as with processing complaints, this is a procedure that the BBB uses, however, in this case scammers have employed this BBB procedure for their own means. Recipients of any such emails should NOT click on the link and should immediately delete the message.
The BBB has advised that anyone who receives a phishing email to take the following precautionary steps:
· Do not click on any links or reply to the message
· Completely delete the message from your inbox
· Run a full virus scan on your computer if you did click on any links
If you have concerns that you might have an actual complaint, please contact your local BBB office immediately at 225-346-5222 or at info@batonrouge.bbb.org.