Scammers Use BBB Name In Emails To Businesses

Scam artists have co-opted the Better Business Bureau name to send ominous-sounding emails to businesses.  

The emails, which use the BBB name and logo, warn firms that they are “violating the Fair Labor Standards Act” and the “Safety and Health Act,” writes Emily Valla, the Idaho marketplace director for the Better Business Bureau Northwest, in an article today in the Idaho Statesman. 

“These emails are fake,” she continues. They are designed to get the recipient to click on a link, which may be used to download malware that can infect the recipient’s computer, steal passwords, or hack a company’s records.

Valla warns businesspeople, “if you or your business received an email this week claiming to be from the Better Business Bureau saying you violated a federal act, do not click anything.”  

She adds: “Phishing emails take all forms, and scammers regularly try to impersonate real businesses and organizations. In this case, scammers seem to be targeting a wide range of business owners, many of whom have called to tell us about this scheme.” 

Valla also urges readers to not click on links, and to run frequent antivirus software updates and full-system scans.

Finally, she asks recipients to send a copy of emails using the BBB name to phishing@council.bbb.org. 

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