Here is the body of an email we just received from our State's BBB. The BBB has
apparently been a victim as well:
Scam uses the "BBB" Name to Attract Victims
UPDATE - Arlington, VA,
March 1, 2007 - The Better Business Bureau System
warns all businesses across the United States and Canada of a spoofing scam
using
the BBB name and a false BBB e-mail address to entice recipients to
access potentially damaging hyperlinks.
In February, a firm had
its computer system hacked and that firm's system
generated thousands of counterfeit messages to businesses and consumers,
purporting
to be a complaint filed with the BBB. Recently, another firm was
hacked and similar emails have been received by businesses across
the
country.
The attack has NOT affected the computer system of any BBB nor have any of
their data been compromised. As with most other
phishing attacks, the
perpetrators have attempted to pose as a respected business to gain the
confidence of phishing victims. The BBB
is working with authorities to
thwart these malicious attacks.
The most recent e-mail has a false return address of
consumer-complaints@bbb.org and
a phishing hyperlink citing a BBB complaint
case number, for example, "DOCUMENTS FOR CASE #BBA749BED0". These links
actually direct
access to a subdirectory of the hacked firm's website where
users are asked to download documents related to the complaint. The download
is
actually an executable file that is believed to be some form of a
computer virus.
All recipients are advised that any e-mail from the
consumer-complaints@bbb.org address
is not coming from any BBB and should be
considered counterfeit. The BBB strongly encourages recipients of any such
message to delete
the message immediately without clicking on the "DOCUMENTS
FOR CASE" links.
The phishing e-mail return address of
consumer-complaints@bbb.org does
not
exist and is being "spoofed." Spoofing occurs when an e-mail address is
altered to appear as if the message originated from a legitimate
source.
This is a common practice for both spam e-mail and phishing operations.
Phishing is a term coined by computer hackers, who
use e-mail to fish the
Internet hoping to "hook" recipients into giving their logins, passwords
and/or other sensitive information.
In all these scams, the phisher first
impersonates a legitimate company. In a typical scam, the phisher instructs
recipients to click
on a convenient link to receive or provide information
that can then be used by phishers to access the recipient's sensitive
personal
or business information. For more information about phishing and
for tips to avert other scams, please visit <
http://www.bbb.org>
www.bbb.org.
An actual example of the false e-mail message is provided below. Names and
other forms of identifying information have been removed
from the example.
# # #
REPRESENTATIVE E-MAIL SAMPLE
From:
consumer-complaints@bbb.org [mailto:consumer-complaints@bbb.org]
Sent: Thursday,
March 1, 2007 6:06 AM
To: XXXX
Subject: BBB Complaint for XXXXXXX - Case #BBA749BED0
Dear Mr./Mrs. XXXX
You have received a complaint
in regards to your business services. The
complaint was filled by Mr. XXXX on 02/28/2007/
Use the link below to view the complaint
details:
DOCUMENTS FOR CASE #BBA749BED0
Complaint Case Number: BBA749BED0
Complaint Made by Consumer Mr. XXXX
Complaint Registered
Against: Company XXXX
Date: 02/28/2007
Instructions on how to resolve this complaint as well as a copy of the
original complaint can
be obtained using the link below:
DOCUMENTS FOR CASE #BBA749BED0
Disputes involving consumer products and/or services may be arbitrated.
Unless
they directly relate to the contract that is the basis of this
dispute, the following claims will be considered for arbitration only
if all
parties agree in writing that the arbitrator may consider them:
- Claims based on product liability;
- Claims for personal injuries;
- Claims that have been resolved by a previous court action, arbitration, or
written agreement between the parties.
The decision as
to whether your dispute or any part of it can be arbitrated
rests solely with the BBB.
The BBB offers its members a binding arbitration
service for disputes
involving marketplace transactions. Arbitration is a convenient, civilized
way to settle disputes quickly and fairly,
without the costs associated with
other legal options.
