July 16, 2007 – Scam artists have found a new way to snare victims on the Internet using the logo of a well-known and trusted agency to gain access to personal information.
This is a new twist on an old phishing scam. Now the Better Business Bureau and small business owners is the target.
“It says dear business owner you have received a complaint in regards to your business services,” said Audrey Cupo of Jamison, Pennsylvania.
As a professional organizer, Audrey spends a lot of time online communicating with clients.
“I check my emails several times a day, as part of my business.”
When an email claiming to be a complaint from the Better Business Bureau showed up in Audrey’s inbox she was naturally concerned.
“I panicked for the first minute because I really pride myself on not having problems with clients and satisfy all there needs.”
Audrey investigated further and quickly realized she did not recognize the client’s name printed on the complaint.
“I didn’t click on the attachment because the name didn’t click with me and to me that was a red flag.”
She then contacted the BBB.
“We’ve learned that there is a scam artist out there who is perpetrating a scam against a lot of businesses.”
BBB President Andy Goode said the agency never communicates with businesses through email. That’s the first red flag in the scam.
“If you receive an email like this, the most important thing to do is immediately delete it. And delete in your empty trash as well,” Goode warned.
Goode said the emails are coming from sophisticated scam artists that are trying to gain access to company computers and get private information, including client records.
Thankfully for Audrey and her clients she averted that disaster.
“I don’t know what would have happened if I had gotten into that attachment I don’t know what kind of damage it would have caused.”
The Better Business Bureau said companies that receive the email should forward it to the BBB. The bureau is working with authorities to help track the crooks.
