Better Business Bureau: BBB warns businesses about new phishing attack

CONTACT: Susan Bach, Director of Communications

PHONE: 414- 847- 6085

FAX: 414-302- 0355

E-MAIL: sbach@wisconsin.bbb.org

Beware of fake complaint reports coming from seatac@bbb.org

Milwaukee, Wis. – April 14, 2010 — The Wisconsin Better Business Bureau is warning businesses to beware of a new malicious e-mail that pretends to be from the BBB about a complaint filed against the company. The e-mail first came to the BBB’s attention on April 12, 2010.

Several businesses in Wisconsin and across the US – including law firms, advertising agencies and architecture firms – have reported receiving a suspicious e-mail from the address seatac@bbb.org with the subject line “BBB Complaint Case #” followed by a nine-digit number. Both BBB Accredited and non-Accredited businesses have been targeted.

The body of the e-mail claims that the company did not respond to a complaint filed by a Jason Harlow (however other names may be used) and includes a link to a page at http://www.ca-bbb.org where the business can supposedly review the complaint.

Because the message is fraudulent, BBB advises any business that receives this e-mail to take the following steps:

* Do not click on any links or reply to the message,

* Forward the message to phishing@council.bbb.org,

* Completely delete the message from your inbox, and

* Run a full virus scan on your computer if you did click on any links.

If you receive an e-mail from Better Business Bureau about a complaint filed against your business and need assistance in determining whether or not it is legitimate, contact the Wisconsin BBB at 414-847-6000 (metro Milwaukee), 920-734-4352 (Northeast Wisconsin) or 800-273-1002 (elsewhere in Wisconsin).

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