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Phishing scam claims to be from BBB

The Better Business Bureau of Saskatchewan, Inc. is warning businesses, charities and consumers of an email phishing scam making its way through Canada and the United States.
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The Better Business Bureau of Saskatchewan, Inc. is warning businesses, charities and consumers of an email phishing scam making its way through Canada and the United States.

This email scam uses the BBB name and logo and is being fraudulently used by criminals in an on-going phishing scam. The emails look very much like a notice of complaint from BBB, but contain links that may download malware that can infect your computer or steal passwords. BBB of Saskatchewan has received numerous calls and emails from businesses contacted by this scam.

The message of these emails claim the recipient has a complaint against them regarding a violation of labour and/or health and safety standards. BBB does not handle any complaints that pertain to health or employment, and any message that makes such a statement should be regarded as suspicious, deleted immediately, and reported to BBB’s ScamTracker (bbb.org/scamtracker). The Council of Better Business Bureaus (the head office for all BBB branches in North America) is aware of the issue and is making efforts to identify and stop the emails from their source. A number of illegal phishing websites and email addresses have already been shut down, thanks in part to the detail provided through ScamTracker.

Example of email being received:

This email notification has been automatically sent to you because BBB has got a complaint, claiming that your company is violating the The Safety and Health Act.

You can download the text file with the explanation of compliant by following the link https://bitly (XXXXXX).

We also ask that you give a reply within 24 hours to us. This message should contain information about what you intend to do about it.

Important note:

When replying to us, keep the abuse ID "0192624050372:656" unchanged in the subject line.

If you get an email that looks like it is a BBB complaint, here is what you should do: 1. Do not click on any links or attachments.

2. Read the email carefully for signs that it may be fake (for example, misspellings, grammar, generic greetings such as “Dear member” instead of a name, etc.).

3. Be wary of any urgent instructions to take specified action such as “Click on the link or your account will be closed.”

4. Hover your mouse over links without clicking to see if the address is truly from bbb.org. The URL in the text should match the URL that your mouse detects. If the two do not match, it is most likely a scam.

5. Send a copy of the email to phishing@council.bbb.org (Note: This address is only for scams that use the BBB name or logo).

6. Delete the email from your computer completely (be sure to empty your “trash can” or “recycling bin,” as well).

7. Run anti-virus software updates frequently and do a full system scan.

8. Keep a close eye on your bank statements for any unexpected or unexplained transactions.

9. Report the incident to BBB’s Scam Tracker containing as much detail as possible (www.bbb.org/scamtracker). Information provided here is used by law enforcement agencies.

If you have a business and are not certain whether the complaint is legitimate, contact your local BBB at 877-352-9259 (toll free) or info@sask.bbb.org.

Information on companies (members and non-members) and educational publications can be accessed by calling the Better Business Bureau of Saskatchewan at (306) 352-7601 or by e-mail at info@sask.bbb.org or visit us on the web at www.bbb.org/saskatchewan. The Better Business Bureau of Saskatchewan is a non-profit organization funded by over 1,200 Accredited Businesses throughout the province. The ScamTracker tool is also available at https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker