Better Business Bureau Warns Businesses about Fake BBB “Complaints”

An emailed “complaint” supposedly originating from Better Business Bureau is being sent to BBB accredited and non-accredited companies in states across the country, including Nebraska.  Businesses of all sizes have received the bogus email complaint, ranging from banks and construction companies to major manufacturers and professionals.  There is no indication how the email addresses were collected.  

The email sender’s address is seatac@bbb.org with the subject line “BBB Complaint Case #” followed by a nine-digit number. The body of the email claims that the recipient did not respond to a complaint filed by “Jason Harlow” (however, other names may be used) under the category “Contract Issues.”  The goal of the email was to get the recipient to click on a hyperlink with the following text: “Please click here to access the complaint.”

A BBB Accredited Business in Omaha was recently targeted by this email and tried to click on the link provided. Because he could not open the link to see the complaint, he called BBB and found out that there was no complaint filed about this company from “Jason Harlow!”

A link in identical emails sent out earlier this year downloaded malware to the recipients’ computers. Malware consists of programs designed to damage or initiate unwanted actions without the knowledge of the user email’s author.

BBB advises businesses that receive this email to take the following precautions:

•     Look at the number that a complaint begins with - all complaints from this BBB start with a “3”. The fake complaints seem to start with an “8”

•    The fake complaints seem to be using the same consumer’s name, “Jason Harlow”

•  Do not click on any links or reply to the message

•  Run a full virus scan on your computer if you did click the link

•  Forward the message to phishing@council.bbb.org

•   Delete the message from your inbox and recycle bin

If you receive any email from Better Business Bureau about a complaint filed against your company and need assistance in determining whether or not it is legitimate, contact the BBB directly at www.bbb.org or at 800-649-6814.

For more advice on how to protect your business from malicious online attacks and data breaches visit http://www.bbb.org/data-security/.