CONTACT:Susan Bach, Director of Communications
PHONE:414- 847- 6085
FAX:414-302- 0355
E-MAIL: sbach@wisconsin.bbb.org
Watch out for new wave of fake BBB.org emails
Milwaukee, Wis., January 19, 2012 — In the past few weeks, businesses and consumers across the country have been hit by an on-going email scam that appears to be from the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Now, a new wave of fake BBB emails is using a different strategy to scam recipients into downloading a virus.
The New Email Scam
In this new wave, emails have a subject line reading “BBB SBQ Form,” followed by a series of numbers. Recipients are asked to click on a link to update their information with the BBB. The link supposedly leads to a form on BBB.org, but it really goes to a third party website that downloads a virus on to your computer.
In addition to the new wave of emails, the original version of the email scam is still out there. In this, recipients are told that a complaint has been filed against their business, and they need to respond by clicking on a link in the email. Again, the link takes them to a third-party website that infects their computer with a virus.
What to Do
The BBB advises that if you receive an email matching either of these descriptions that you should not click on any links or open any attachments. You can test the links by using your mouse to hover over them. The destination of the links will appear in a small pop up box next to the link or at the bottom of the screen. If the email is a scam, the website shown will not be a BBB.org URL. If you receive such a message, please forward it directly to phishing@council.bbb.org.
Businesses should enable their email program’s spam filter to avoid receiving these types of emails. The particular virus at play is known as “Zeuss” or “Zbot” and is a “Trojan Horse” or spyware virus that downloads onto a recipient’s computer and harvests confidential and personal data without detection. You may wish to verify that your antivirus protection services cover Zeuss/Zbot.
These phishing attacks are not the result of any BBB secure database being compromised. However, the BBB system nationwide has been working hard to stop the misuse of its name. It has engaged a phishing deactivation service and have been in contact with various law enforcement agencies. The FBI’s Internet Crimes Complaint Center has been notified and included the BBB email scam in the following alert:
http://www.ic3.gov/media/2010/corporateaccounttakeover.pdf
A legitimate email from the BBB requesting information about your business or informing you that your business has a complaint will look like this:
The “from” address will end in @wisconsin.bbb.org.
When your cursor hovers over the link in our complaint emails, the address it directs you to will contain “bbb.org”.
Businesses concerned that a suspicious email may be legitimate, should call the BBB at 414-847-6000 (metro Milwaukee), 920-734-4352 (NE Wisconsin), 608-268-2221 (SW Wisconsin) or 800-273-1002 (elsewhere in Wisconsin).
About BBB
BBB is an unbiased non-profit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. Businesses that earn BBB accreditation contractually agree and adhere to the organization’s high standards of ethical business behavior. BBB provides objective advice, free business BBB Reliability ReportsTM and charity BBB Wise Giving ReportsTM, and educational information on topics affecting marketplace trust. To further promote trust, BBB also offers complaint and dispute resolution support for consumers and businesses when there is difference in viewpoints. Although the first BBB was founded in 1912, the Wisconsin BBB began in 1939. Today, 125 BBBs serve communities across the U.S. and Canada, evaluating and monitoring more than four million local and national businesses and charities. Please visit www.bbb.org for more information about BBB.
