(TheForceField.Net ) February 1, 2008 – The Better Business Bureau is one more company to be spoofed in an e-mail phishing scam.
The BBB, an organization known for its accreditation and promotion of high business standards, first issued a security bulletion warning users of the scam in June 2007. yesterday the BBB updated the bulletin in response to a new wave of phishing e-mails. The BBB insists none of their computer and e-mail systems are involved in the hoax and posted instructions for the submission of e-mail data to attempt to identify the source of the malicious e-mail.
Savoia Computer received one such e-mail yesterday.
The e-mail, allegedly sent from "Better Business Bureaus" seatac@bbb.org, announces BBB Complaint Case #509283364(Ref #34-7243238-52900969-4-735) in the subject line. The e-mail claims to contain information about a complaint filed with the BBB against the recipient. It claims the recipient is a member of the BBB. The body of the message contains the recipient's e-mail address and name as well as a recent Case Opened date.
In a call to the BBB a representative confirmed the e-mail is fake. The BBB web site advises users not to click on the link contained in the e-mail and suggested they forward it to the BBB at a specified address. Instructions for forwarding the e-mail are as follows:
WHAT TO DO IF YOU RECEIVE A FRAUDULENT EMAIL:
- Do NOT click on any of the links or open any of the attachments.
- Please help us in our work with the authorities by forwarding the email and its headers to phishing@cbbb.bbb.org. Instructions for Outlook users are below.
- Open the message (not the attachment), select ‘View’ from the menu, and then ‘Options’ from the drop down. Or, right click the message in the list of emails and select ‘Options’ from the menu.
- At the bottom of the Message Options dialogue box that opens is a box labelled "Internet Headers" which contains the information we need to track the attacks.
- Select the information in the box and copy it by hitting Ctrl-C on your keyboard, or right-clicking your mouse and selecting "Copy."
- Close the dialogue box and select "Forward" in the message. Paste the headers at the top of the message and address the email to phishing@cbbb.bbb.org.
The BBB is investigating.
Contact Information
The Council of Better Business Bureaus
4200 Wilson Blvd, Suite 800
Arlington, VA 22203-1838
The Canadian Council of Better Business Bureaus
2 St. Clair Ave. East
Toronto, ON M4T 2T5
Additional Contact Information
Phone: 1 (703) 276.0100